BX8491  .W45  1848 

West,  Robert  A.  (Robert  Athow),  1808-18 
Sketches  of  Wesleyan  preachers  / 


Digitized  by  tine  Internet  Arcliive 
in  2014 


https://archive.org/details/sketcliesofwesleyOOwest_0 


I  T;ES[r)ENT  or  THE  CONFEEENCK  . 


WO  1888  lflS6  liet4- 


SKETCHES 


APR  1  1  192 
WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


g  Hobcrt  ^.  Uleat. 


If  the  chylde  be  of  natvu-e  incljued  (as  many  haue  ben)  to  pejnite 
with  a  pen,  he  shoulde  not  be  therfrom  withdrawen,  or  nature  be 
rebuked,  whiche  is  to  hym  beneuolent.— Elvot. 


lEORQE  PECK,  EDITOR. 


^em-Work: 

PUBLISHED  BY  LANE  &  TIPPETT, 

FOR  THE  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH,  200  MULBERRY.STREET. 
JOSRPH    LONGKINO,  PRINTKR. 
1849. 


Entered,  according  to  act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1848,  by 
LANE  &  TIPPETT, 
1  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  Southern  Distnct 


PREFACE. 


The  author  of  the  following  Sketches  has 
occasionally  felt  no  little  surprise  at  the 
many  points  of  difference  in  the  practical 
working  of  Methodism  in  America  and 
England.  Especially  has  he  wondered, 
considering  that  the  two  countries  are  in 
such  constant  intercourse,  that  comparatively 
so  little  is  known  of  even  the  more  pro- 
minent ministers  of  the  English  Wesleyan 
Church.  Having  had  peculiar  facilities  for 
acquaintance  with  some  of  these  great  and 
good  men,  it  occurred  to  him  that  a  series 
of  pen-portraits,  if  drawn  with  truth,  might 
be  acceptable  to  the  American  reader.  He 
was  the  more  willing  to  write  such  Sketches 
because  it  would  afford  an  opportunity  of 
incidentally  illustrating  some  of  the  points 
of  difference  referred  to.  The  Sketches 
were  originally  commenced  in  the  Christian 
Advocate  and  Journal,  and  were  continued 
through  several  numbers.  The  whole  of 
those  thus  published  are,  with  two  excep- 
tions, embodied  in  this  volume;  having  been 


4 


PREFACE. 


rewritten,  that  they  might  be  more  worthy 
of  this  more  permanent  form.  A  consider- 
able portion  of  the  volume,  however,  now 
appears  for  the  first  time ;  and  the  author 
believes  that  the  additional  sketches  will  be 
found  as  true  to  the  original,  and  as  interest- 
ing, as  those  previously  published.  He 
cannot  desire  that  they  should  be  received 
with  more  general  kindness  and  approval. 

A  more  imposing  style  might  have  been 
adopted  in  the  composition  of  these  portraits, 
and  more  criticism  indulged  in,  had  the 
writer  been  so  disposed ;  but  he  had  another 
and  higher  aim — to  familiarize  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States  with 
the  pulpit  and  pastoral  character  of  the 
Methodist  ministry  in  the  "  fatherland  ;"  the 
working  of  Methodism  itself,  its  institutions, 
&c.  If  he  shall  have  done  anything  to 
strengthen  the  bonds  of  union  between  the 
two  large  and  influential  churches,  or  to 
stimulate  the  one  to  emulate  the  other  in 
anything  which  may  more  effectually  carry- 
out  the  designs  of  Methodism's  honored 
founder,  he  will  have  attained  the  end  he 
was  most  desirous  to  gain. 


CO?^  TENTS. 


J.VBEZ  BCKTING,  . 

7 

JoHX  Smith,  .  . 

.  42 

JOHX  LOMAS,    .  . 

.  64 

Richard  Rf.ece, 

.  76 

Robert  Newton, 

81 

Isaac  Turtox,  . 

.  108 

Robert  Yocsg,  . 

114 

Daniel  Isaac,  . 

122 

Samuel  Hick,  . 

146 

James  Everett,  . 

.  157 

James  "Wood, 

.  175 

Robert  Wood,  . 

.  181 

John  H.\xwell,  . 

.  189 

Hodgson  Casson, 

.  201 

Appendix — Notices  of  E> 

PAGE 

Samuel  Bardslet,  207 
Theophilcs  Lesset,  212 
Thomas  11.  Walker,  235 
Adam  Clajike,  .  .  239 
Philip  Hardcastle,  265 
Miles  JIartindale,  268 
D.ujiEL  Chapman,  .  295 
Francis  A.  West,  .  302 
William  Dawson,  317 
John  Anderson,  .  340 
Wm.  M.  Bunting,  .  355 
George  Morley,  .  364 
Joseph  Beaumont,  368 
William  Shaw,     .  379 

rGLiSH  Methodism,    .  391 


i 


SKETCHES 

OF 

WESLEYAN  PREACHEK8. 


Jabej  Bunting,  W.W. 

"  Never  lived  gentleman  of  greater  merit, 
Hope  or  abiliment  to  rule  a  kingdom." 
"  The  monarch-mind,  the  mystery  of  commanding. 
The  godlike  power,  the  art  Napoleon 
Of  wmning,  fettering,  molding,  wielding,  banding, 
The  hearts  of  millions,  till  they  move  as  one." — Halleck. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Bunting  is,  for  obvious  reasons, 
entitled  to  precedence  in  these  sketches.  He  is 
the  greatest  among  many  great  men,  and  stands 
by  common  consent  at  the  head  of  the  Wesleyan 
Metliodist  Connection.  Unostentatiously  wearing 
the  honors  of  his  admitted  position,  he  also  endures 
imcomplainingly,  for  Methodism's  sake,  the  com- 
bined attacks  of  its  enemies.  Churchmen  of  "  high  " 
and  of  "  low  "  degree  ;  "  Dissenters  "  of  every  grade ; 
the  "  people  called  Methodists "  who  have  for- 
saken the  fold,  or,  remaining  within  its  inclosure, 
are  estranged  in  heart  from  its  discipline  and  insti- 
tutions— these  all  make  the  reverend  gentleman  the 
butt  for  their  hostility.  The  contumely,  reproach, 
scandal,  and  animosity,  with  which  at  one  time 
Methodism  and  Methodists  generally  were  assailed, 


8  SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAK  PREACHERS. 

seem  in  these  latter  days  to  be  directed,  with  con- 
centrated bitterness,  against  the  Rev.  Jabez  Bunt- 
ing. This  fact  must  necessarily  enter  into  any 
sketch  of  that  gentleman,  and  a  brief  digression 
must  therefore  be  made  at  the  outset,  for  the  sake 
of  inquiring  into  the  causes  of  this  feeling  toward 
one  whose  private  character  all  acknowledge  to  be 
unimpeachable,  and  who  has  never  been  convicted, 
nor  by  those  who  best  know  him  even  suspected, 
of  unfaithfulness  to  the  trust  which  his  brethren 
have,  to  an  unusual  extent,  tacitly  reposed  in  him ; 
and  who  perhaps  less  than  any  equally  pubhc 
man  has  assailed  those  who  differ  from  him,  or  re- 
turned railing  for  railing. 

We  say  a  digression,  because  in  prosecuting  the 
inquiry  some  things  must  be  premised,  not  legiti- 
mately entering  into  a  sketch  of  an  individual ;  to 
wit,  the  relative  position  of  the  great  religious  de- 
nominations in  England,  and  the  prevalent  opinion, 
erroneous  though  it  be,  of  Dr.  Bunting's  power  in 
the  body  to  which  he  belongs.  It  is  common  in 
England  to  divide  the  Protestant  denominations 
into  three  classes — the  Established  Church,  Method- 
ists, and  Dissenters.  The  division  is  just,  although 
the  high-church  party  profess  to  regard  the  Me- 
thodists as  Dissenters,  while  the  Dissenters  them- 
selves, especially  the  political  portion  of  them,  in- 
dignantly deny  the  identity.  In  reahty  the  Wes- 
leyan  Methodists  (for  the  "New  Connection"  are 
avowedly  Dissenters)  occupy  as  distinct  a  position  as 
either  of  the  other  divisions  of  the  great  Protestant 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAK  PREACHERS.  9 

Christian  church.  They  are  not  Dissenters,  pro- 
perly so  called,  inasmuch  as  they  do  not  object  to 
the  principle  of  an  Established  Church,  and  have 
never  united  with  its  opponents  in  seeking  its  over- 
throw as  an  estabUshment,  or  withholding  that  sup- 
port to  which  by  law  it  is  entitled.  They  have 
aided  it  in  the  time  of  its  peril,  rather,  however, 
by  their  general  mfluence  than  by  any  denomina- 
tional action.  They  left  it  under  no  protest  against 
its  fundamental  principles,  but  because  of  its  ex- 
clusive, inconvenient,  and  burdensome  pi'actice.  To 
this  day,  no  anti  Established  Church  action  has 
emanated  from  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  Societies 
collectively.  They  are,  in  fact,  as  a  body,  simply 
non- conformists  on  the  ground  of  expediency,  hold- 
ing the  doctrines,  and,  as  far  as  seems  appropriate 
for  their  pecuUar  sphere  of  action,  adopting  the 
forms  and  usages,  and  even  the  liturgy,  of  the 
Church  of  England. 

As  a  numerous,  and  now  wealthy  and  intelhgent 
body,  and  a  neutral  or  middle  party,  they  hold  the 
balance  of  power  between  the  two  antagonistic 
denominations.  By  going  over  to  either,  they 
might  secure  immunity  from  much  of  the  animosi- 
ty now  shown  toward  them.  This  they  have 
hitherto  steadil}'  refused  to  do.  Within  the  last 
few  years  it  has  become  well  imderstood  that  to 
this  purpose  they  will  adhere,  mider  whatever 
provocation  they  may  suffer,  or  overtures  receive, 
from  either  party.  Their  reply  has  at  all  tunes 
been,  in  effect,  "  We  are  doing  a  great  work  and 


10         SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


cannot  come  down  to  dispute  mth  either,  of  you 
about  non-essentials  or  ecclesiastical  polity."  They 
content  themselves  with  occasional  co-operation 
with  either  party,  when  some  great  principle  of 
civil  or  religious  liberty  is  periled,  or  some  vast 
triumph  of  benevolence  or  Christian  principle  is  to 
be  achieved.  But  they  resolutely  stand  aloof  from 
ecclesiastico-political  amalgamation  with  one  or  the 
other.  This  we  believe  to  be  the  exact  position 
of  the  Weslcyan  Methodist  Connection  at  the  pre- 
sent day.  At  the  Conference  of  1847,  the  body 
numbered  in  Great  Britain  alone,  not  including 
those  "on  trial,"  three  hundred  and  thirty-nine 
thousand  three  hundred  and  seventy-nine ;  in  Ire- 
land, twenty-four  thousand  six  hundred  and  thirty- 
three  ;  making,  \vith  those  "  on  trial,"  at  least 
three  hundred  and  seventy  thousand,  under  the 
pastoral  care  and  influence  of  thirteen  hundred  and 
fifty  authorized  and  ordained  ministers.*  Their  in- 
fluence, therefore,  upon  political  and  ecclesiastical 
questions  is  known  to  be  great ;  and  their  bias  is 
generally  supposed  to  be  toward  the  Establishment 
rather  than  toward  the  Dissenters.  For  this  they 
have  been  assailed  by  those  who  have  gone  out 
from  them,  but  have  retained,  mth  some  quahfying 
prefix,  the  name  of  Methodists.  Indeed  this  has 
been  frequently  assigned  as  one  of  the  reasons  for 
secession ;  but  it  is  not  within  the  writer's  know- 

*  The  number  of  members  on  the  mission  stations  at  the  same 
period  was  100,303  ;  total  number  of  members,  exclusive  of  those  on 
trial,  under  the  care  of  the  British  and  Irish  Conferences,  464,315  ; 
and  in  Canada,  21,749  ;  and  of  ministers  within  a  fraction  of  2,000. 


SKETCHES  OF  VVKSLEYAN  PREACHERS.  11 

ledge  that  a  contrary  tendency — a  bias  toward  Dis- 
sent— has  ever  been  put  forward  as  a  cause  for 
separation  from  Wesleyan  Methodism.  Here  then 
is  a  sufficient  explanation  why  the  Wesleyans  are 
made  to  suffer  uiader  a  double  fire ;  the  adherents 
of  the  Church  are  well  aware  that  the  Methodists 
have  permanently  left  the  Estabhshment,  so  far  as 
submission  to  its  practice  is  concerned,  and  are 
jealous  of  their  independence  and  growing  influ- 
ence ;  the  anti-church-and-state  men  are  annoyed 
that  they  will  not  throw  their  influence  into  the 
scale  with  Dissenters,  and  seek  to  drive  them  to 
that  course,  knowing,  or  at  least  suspecting,  that 
Wesleyan  neutrality  is  the  principal  impediment  to 
their  success.  As  assailants,  necessarily  so  from 
the  existing  order  of  things,  the  Dissenters  are  na- 
tui-ally  more  exasperated  at  this  neutrahty  than 
are  their  opponents,  to  whom  it  is  valuable  next  to 
active  co-operation. 

But  in  ascertaining  why  Dr.  Bunting  should  be 
**  individually  selected  for  reproach  and  abuse,  an- 
other fact  must  be  referred  to,  namely,  the  common 
error  that  the  reverend  gentleman  possesses  an  ab- 
solute, or  at  least  positive,  personal  power  in  the 
Wesleyan  Conference.  On  this  ignorant  assump- 
tion he  is  mercilessly  assailed  for  all  that  body 
does  or  leaves  undone ;  what  are  accounted  its 
sins  of  omission  and  commission  being  alike  laid  to 
his  charge.  While  indignant  at  the  injustice,  dis- 
courtesy, and  malignity,  of  many  of  the  attacks 
upon  Dr.  Bunting,  we  have  also  been  "  exceedingly 


12  SKETCHES  OF  WESLEVAN  PREACHERS. 

filled  with  contempt"  at  the  utter  ignorance  of 
Weslej'an  economy  displayed  by  his  open  or  ano- 
nymous assailants.  They  seem  to  suppose  that 
the  government  of  the  Wesleyan  Methodists  is  a 
"  one-man  power," — an  absolute  monarchy  of  the 
most  absolute  kmd ;  that  the  four  hundred  and 
sixty-five  thousand  of  its  members,  leaders,  stew- 
ards, tmstees,  and  local  preachers,  and  its  two 
thousand  itinerant  ministers,  Uve,  move,  and  have 
their  being,  in  Dr.  Bimting ;  and  think,  speak,  and 
act,  only  as  he  gives  them  permission.  Ti-uly 
these  traducers  of  the  great  Wesleyan  body  and 
the  reverend  gentleman  "  understand  neither  what 
they  say,  nor  whereof  they  afiu-m."  They  know 
not  the  intelhgence  and  independence  of  the  Wes- 
leyan clergy  and  laity,  which  are  surpassed  by 
those  of  no  body  of  clergy  and  laity  on  the  face 
of  the  earth.  The  Rev.  Jabez  Bunting,  D.D.,  in- 
fluential in  council  as  he  is  known  to  be,  has  not 
and  cannot  have  any  strictly  personal  power  in 
his  official  relations  to  the  connection.  The  ac- 
knowledged  principles  by  which  the  body  is  gov- 
erned forbid  it.  In  Conference  his  vote  counts  but 
as  one.  He  can  do  notliing  contrary  to,  or  aside 
from,  the  laws  which  govern  the  Conference,  and  to 
which  both  ministers  and  people  are  subject.  Nor 
could  he  with  impunity  leave  undone  anything 
which  those  laws  require  him  to  do.  The  rules 
and  usages  of  the  connection  are  not  in  his  keep- 
ing ;  he  cannot  of  his  own  will  or  power  repeal, 
amend,  or  enact,  a  single  clause,  or  alter  a  solitary 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  13 


word  in  the  code,  '\^^latever  proposition  he  may 
make  has  to  pass  through  the  same  ordeal  as  one 
proposed  by  any  other  member  of  the  Conference, 
to  the  good  sense  of  which  body  it  must  commend 
itself,  if  it  is  to  be  approved  or  adopted  by  them. 

Wesleyan  Methodism  has,  strictly  speaking,  no 
written  "  constitution,"  as  we  understand  the  word. 
Certain  principles  and  guards  are  estabhshed  and 
perpetuated  in  the  "  Deed  of  Declaration,"  but  that 
deed  does  not  define  a  full  constitutional  method 
of  internal  govemment.  Usage,  more  than  writ- 
ten law,  governs  in  all  the  proceedings  of  the  Con- 
ference. But  there  are  inles  clearly  defined,  bind- 
ing upon  and  mutually  protecting  preachers  and 
people,  and  these  are  to  be  preserved  in  their  letter 
as  well  as  in  their  spirit.  One  of  these  pi-ondes 
that  any  law  affecting  the  societies,  passed  by  the 
Conference,  before  it  can  be  binding  upon  the  peo- 
ple shall  be  submitted  to  them  in  their  quarterly 
meetings,  and  be  approved  by  a  majority.  Sup- 
pose that  Dr.  Bunting  has  conceived  a  measiu-e 
which  he  thinks  will  be  beneficial  to  the  church  at 
large.  He  must  first  proppse  it  in  the  Conference. 
There  it  may  be  canvassed  with  the  utmost  free- 
dom. Every  one  who  doubts  its  propriety  has 
only  to  send  up  his  name  to  the  president,  as  an 
intimation  that  he  wishes  to  speak  upon  the  sub- 
ject, and  he  can  state  all  his  objections  as  forcibly 
as  his  abihty  admits.  After  free  discussion  the 
sense  of  the  Conference  is  taken  upon  it ;  and  if 
the  members  are  not  satisfied  of  its  expediency, 


14  SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

they  can  postpone,  or  entirely  set  it  aside,  by  their 
vote.  If  approved  by  them,  it  still  has  to  be  sub- 
mitted to  the  quarterly  meeting  in  every  circ\iit, 
and  cannot  become  law  Avithout  their  sanction.  If 
a  measure  be  proposed  not  affecting  the  people, 
but  the  preachers  only,  it  still  has  to  pass  through 
the  ordeal  of  the  Conference,  as  above  described. 
So  that  the  one-man  power  ascribed  to  Dr.  Bunt- 
ing has,  in  reality,  no  existence  in  the  Wesleyan 
body.  That  Dr.  Bunting  wields  a  vast  influence, 
in  Conference  and  out  of  it,  is  undeniable.  But 
inasmuch  as  eveiy  proposition  emanating  from  him 
is  intelligently  discussed  in  that  body,  and  if  adopt- 
ed, is  so  by  consent  of  the  whole,  or  a  vote  of  the 
majority,  it  is  unfair  to  lay  the  entire  responsibility 
upon  the  reverend  gentleman,  even  admitting  that 
the  measure  is  in  any  Avay  reprehensible.  Yet  liis 
opponents,  jealous  of  his  influence,  and  unable  to 
counteract  or  curtail  it,  wrongfully  speak  of  it  as 
a  tyrannical  and  absolute  power.  What  that  in- 
fluence is,  and  how  acquired,  we  shall  endeavor  to 
show  hereafter. 

We  cannot,  however,  complete  the  inquiry  with 
which  Ave  started,  Avithout  to  some  extent  forestall- 
ing judgment  upon  that  point.  In  conscientiously 
assigning  the  reasons  why  Dr.  B\inting  has  been 
so  much  assailed  and  calumniated,  we  must  ex- 
press our  belief  that  his  inflexible  devotion  to  the 
permanent  interests  of  Methodism  is  at  the  foun- 
dation of  all  the  reproach  that  has  been  cast  upon 
him.    In  other  words,  liis  greatness  is  their  griev- 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  15 

ance.  No  storm  can  drive  him  from  the  field  he 
thinks  it  his  duty  to  occupy.  He  vnll  not  stoop 
to  bandy  words  witli  his  opponents,  or  rehnquish 
his  pui'pose  because  it  is  misimderstood  or  misre- 
presented, or  quail  for  a  moment  imder  a  toiTent 
of  even  the  most  bitter  invective.  He  relies  upon 
his  own  integrity,  like  Nehemiah  of  old.  The 
author  of  "Wesleyan  Centenaiy  Takings,"  who 
cannot  be  suspected  of  regarding  our  present  siib- 
ject  with  a  too  favorable  judgment,  says  of  him : 
"  He  is  great  in  mind,  and  great  in  influence  ;  too 
great  to  be  forgiven ;  if  he  were  less  so,  it  might 
be  borne.  This  is  the  secret.  It  is  the  hostihty 
of  opposite  vievfs  and  sentiments,  with  less  of  in- 
terest at  stake  than  there  ought  to  be  to  warrant 
such  hostihty ;  and  the  prejudice  excited  is  the 
feehng  of  the  vanqvdshed — a  struggle  for  supre- 
macy— the  mortification  of  seeing  another  where 
we  -nish  to  be  ourselves — the  envy  of  a  height  we 
cannot  attain."  Never  was  greater  truth  uttered, 
and  the  frankness  of  the  avowal  is  the  more  honor- 
able to  the  author,  as  he  is  known  to  differ  on 
many  points  from  the  gentleman  of  whom  he  thus 
speaks.  Add  to  these  views  the  fact  that  Dr. 
Bunting's  whole  hfe  has  been  spent  in  consoh- 
dating,  popularizing,  and  strengthening,  the  insti- 
tutions of  Methodism — that  in  times  of  imminent 
peril,  from  disaffection  and  clamor,  his  wise  coun- 
sels and  vast  influence  have  been  successfully  ex- 
erted in  keeping  the  main  body,  of  both  preachers 
nnd  people,  within  the  ancient  land-marks — and 


16  SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

we  have,  without  doubt,  the  true  reason  why  the 
reverend  gentleman  has  so  many  implacable  ene- 
mies and  bitter  assailants.  We  leave  this  subject 
for  the  present,  as  in  the  prosecution  of  this 
sketch  topics  may  again  come  up  incidentally 
bearing  upon  it. 

The  recent  portraits  of  Dr.  Bunting,  given  in 
the  Wesleyan  Methodist  Magazine  and  elsewhere, 
are  upon  the  whole  correct.  The  full  length 
figure  in  the  great  picture  of  the  Wesleyan  Cen- 
tenary meeting,  published  by  Mr.  Agnew,  of 
Manchester,  (England,)  is  also  very  good,  except, 
perhaps,  that  it  is  scarcely  hea\y  enough.  He  is 
about  five  feet  ten  or  perhaps  eleven  inches  in 
height,  although  the  comparatively  narrow  or 
elongated  form  of  the  upper  part  of  the  body 
gives  him  an  appearance  of  being  even  taller.  He 
is  of  a  corpulent  frame,  and  erect  in  his  carriage. 
The  face  is  not  exactly  round,  neither  can  it  be 
called  oval;  it  has  a  pleasant,  dignified,  placid 
expression,  and  when  in  entire  repose  is  indicative 
of  suavity  and  gentleness.  The  eyes  are  small 
and  of  a  light  blue-gray ;  the  forehead  is  good ; 
the  head  extremely  bald,  the  skin  fine  and  glitter- 
ing, but  rather  pale,  save  when  the  gentleman  is 
excited  in  preaching  or  debate,  when  a  deep  flush 
covers  the  entire  forehead  and  crown.  When  that 
crimson  glow  appears,  the  hearer  may  know  that 
the  speaker  is  about  to 

"  pour  the  stream  of  eloquence, 
With  scathing  lightning  fraught." 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  1*7 

His  dress  is  invariably  black,  a  straight-breasted 
coat,  and,  latterly,  pantaloons ;  generally,  though 
not  at  all  times,  he  uses  a  walking-stick,  and  as 
commonly  carries  a  well-worn  umbrella  under  his 
aiiQ.  He  walks  leisurely  ;  can  always  spare  a  few 
moments  to  look  into  a  bookseller's  window,  or  to 
linger  at  a  second-hand  book-stall ;  and  has  alto- 
gether a  comely,  comfortable  appearance.  His 
disposition  is  somewhat  reserved,  except  among 
his  intimate  friends.  With  these,  however,  as  Mr. 
Everett  observes,  "  say  after  supper  in  the  evening, 
his  leg  meanwhile  laid  along  the  sofa  or  across  a 
chair,  he  can  talk  playfully  and  dehghtfully,  till 
morning  if  you  please,  but  always  wisely  and  pru- 
dently. His  manners  are  not  polished,  but  easy, 
noble,  and  shghtly  courteous,  without  pride  or 
aflfectation,  and  yet  without  any  redimdancy  of 
condescension.  He  is,  in  short,  a  man  of  appa- 
rently simple  and  amiable  character ;  and  though 
possessed  of  wit,  is  sparing  of  it  in  conversation, 
bemg  more  partial  to  discussion  than  to  saUies  of 
a  Ughter  kind."  The  picture  is  so  life-like  and 
complete  that  nothing  can  be  added  to  it ;  it  repre- 
sents the  reverend  gentleman,  too,  in  one  of  his  most 
pleasing  aspects — his  social  character. 

Our  present  subject  has  so  many  prominent 
characteristics — we  had  almost  said  distinct  cha- 
racters— that  it  is  necessary  to  view  him  in  their 
separate  aspects,  if  we  would  have  a  just  concep- 
tion of  the  whole  man.  There  is,  moreover,  this 
crowning  glory,  that  he  positively  excels  in  each. 
2 


18  SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS. 


As  a  "  Wesleyan  preacher "  he  is  first  to  be  con- 
sidered. His  character  in  this  respect  is  unique. 
He  has  no  parallel.  Other  men  have  gained  le- 
gitimate and  permanent  eminence  and  influence  by 
long  years  of  patient  study  and  labor ;  he  sprang 
at  once  to  the  pinnacle,  where  he  has  continued  to 
this  day,  without  seeming  eflbrt,  to  maintam  his 
foothold.  Other  men  commenced  their  ministerial 
life  with  their  theological  systems  imperfectly  or 
but  partially  defined,  and  have  matured  them  by 
elaborately  collating  writers  upon  the  subject ;  he 
appeared  among  his  brethren,  "a  Hercules  from 
his  cradle,"  with  his  theological  views  matured  and 
established,  clear,  comprehensive,  and  evangeUcal. 
Those  who  heard  him  in  his  early  days  say,  that  as 
a  preacher  he  has  neither  advanced  nor  retro- 
graded, simply  exchanging  "  that  popularity  which, 
in  connection  Avith  his  extraordinary  powers,  be- 
longed to  his  youth,  for  that  respectabihty  by  age 
to  which  early  life  could  not  establish  a  substan- 
tial claim."  And  the  testimony  of  these  witnesses 
is  corroborated  by  the  fact,  that  the  sermon  on 
"Justification  by  Faith,"  founded  on  Romans  xiii, 
17,  published  in  the  earlier  years  of  his  ministiy, 
remains  unaltered  and  unimprovable  in  plan,  mat- 
ter, and  diction  —  "  perfect  and  entire,  lacking 
nothing" — as  when  it  was  first  delivered,  nearly 
forty  years  ago.  The  writer  never  heard  a  ser- 
mon from  him  which  was  not  in  itself  a  complete 
body  of  divinity,  all  naturally  flowing  from  the 
subject,  and  no  part  of  which  could  be  omitted 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  19 


without  mamng  the  perfection  and  beauty  of  the 
Avhole.  This  is  the  peculiarity  and  charm  of  his 
preaching.  His  discourses  are  never  confined  to 
one  topic,  but  embrace  a  variety,  through  which 
hght  beams  from  within,  and  heat  that  Avelds  in 
inseparable  union  the  several  portions,  or  fuses 
them  into  one  perfect  whole. 

More  particularly.  We  must  speak  of  the  gen- 
tleman in  later  tunes,  say  for  the  last  ten  or  twelve 
years.  In  earlier  days  we  apprehend,  and  indeed 
know  from  report,  there  was  much  more  of  physi- 
cal energy  in  his  pulpit  services,  than  within  the 
period  referred  to.  The  impetuous  bursts  of  ve- 
hement eloquence,  which  we  have  occasionally 
heard  at  the  close  of  a  sermon,  were  then  more 
frequent,  and  perhaps  more  overpowering,  but  that 
is  probably  the  main  difference  between  the  yoimger 
and  the  older  man.  When  we  occasionallj^  sat 
imder  his  ministry,  his  appearance  in  the  pulpit 
was  dignified  and  natural.  His  favorite  attitude 
while  preaching  was  Avith  the  fingers  of  the  left 
hand  partially  inserted  between  the  leaves  of  the 
Bible,  toward  the  lower  comer,  the  right  hand  at 
liberty,  now  lying  easily  upon  the  open  page,  now 
gently  raised  with  a  graceful  movement,  and  now 
pushed  forward  with  increasing  emphasis  of  utter- 
ance. The  reverend  gentleman's  action  rarely  ex- 
tends beyond  this  for  the  first  three-fourths  of  the 
sermon.  He  enters  the  pulpit  and  commences  the 
service,  as  he  glides  into  his  discourse,  with  the 
most  perfect  avoidance  of  fonnality  or  effort.  You 


20  SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

look  up  to  the  pulpit,  and  it  is  empty ;  m  a  few 
moments  you  look  again,  and  are  almost  surpris- 
ed to  find  it  occupied  by  the  preacher,  possibly 
just  rising  from  his  knees,  and  ready  at  once  to 
enter  upon  the  service  of  the  sanctuary.  Every- 
thing about  him  is  easy  and  natural.  No  adjust- 
ment of  the  person,  apparel,  or  attitude,  no  hesita- 
tion about  beginning,  "  no  appearance  of  starting," 
offends  the  most  fastidious  of  his  congregation : 
"  he  glides  into  the  service  hke  an  ethereal  spirit, 
and  conducts  it  like  an  apostle."  The  true  great- 
ness of  the  man  is  often,  though  not  invariably,  re- 
vealed in  the  first  prayer.  If  prevalence  -with  God 
in  prayer  be  a  criterion  of  Christian  character  and 
attainments,  as  undoubtedly  it  is,  then  hath  He 
who  "answereth  by  fire"  abundantly  and  often- 
times set  his  seal  upon  the  Rev.  Dr.  Bunting  as  a 
man  after  his  own  heart.  We  have  never  heard 
any  one  who  so  mightily  wi-estled  with  God  and 
prevailed,  as  on  some  and  not  unfrequent  occasions 
did  our  present  subject,  unless  it  were  John  Smith, 
of  whom  mention  is  made  in  this  volume.  Bram- 
well  and  Stoner  Ave  never  heard.  But  there  was 
this  difference  between  Mr.  Smith  and  Dr.  Bunting ; 
the  former  was  vociferous  in  his  earnestness,  the  lat- 
ter was  simply  powerful.  His  whole  soul  seemed 
drawn  out  into  direct  communion  with  God  ;  he 
seemed  to  rise  up  to  the  very  mercy-seat,  to  lay 
hold  upon  the  horns  of  the  altar  and  lift  himself 
into  the  presence  of  Deity,  and  there  to  importune 
until  the  Shekinah  beamed  forth  in  his  glory,  and 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  21 


the  heavenly  influence,  shed  first  upon  hiin,  dif- 
fused itself  through  tlie  whole  congregation,  like 
the  precious  ointment  that  ran  down  to  the  skirts 
of  Aaron's  j^riestly  garments ;  or  as  though,  with 
the  mighty  lever  of  believing  intercession,  he  had 
forced  open  the  gate  of  heaven,  and  the  flood  of 
glory  had  burst  suddenly  upon  the  waiting  congre- 
gation. How  comprehensive  were  his  interces- 
sions, how  earnest  his  supplications  ;  how  tnily  he 
pleaded  with  the  Most  High,  and  how  eff'ectually, 
pen  may  not  describe.  How  "good"  it  was  "to 
be  there,"  even  they  cannot  fully  tell  who  shared 
in  the  glory  Avhich,  on  such  occasions,  was  revealed. 
"  The  day  shall  declare  it!" 

Dr.  Bunting  commences  his  sermon  in  a  natural, 
even  conversational,  tone.  The  voice  is  full  and 
agreeable,  though  lacking  variety.  This  defect, 
however,  is  partially  atoned  for  by  its  flexibility 
and  power.  In  its  middle  tones  it  is  most  pleasing, 
being  then  sweet  and  persuasive,  if  the  mere  voice 
may  be  so  characterized.  Sometimes,  toward  the 
close  of  a  discoin-se,  when  the  preacher  is  for  a 
few  moments  carried  away  by  his  theme,  it  is 
raised  to  a  positive  scream,  but  this  is  very  seldom, 
as  the  reverend  gentleman  holds  all  his  faculties 
under  a  yery  strict  control  in  the  pulpit.  The  in- 
troduction to  his  subject  is  natural,  and  by  the 
time  he  approaches  the  division  of  his  text,  and 
proceeds  to  apportion  its  various  topics,  the  hearer's 
mind  is  well  prepared  to  fall  in  with  the  preacher's 
plan,  and  experiences  something  akin  to  surprise 


22  SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

that  the  same  train  of  ideas  and  ampUfication  of 
thought  have  not  ah-eady  occurred  to  him  in  con- 
nection with  the  passage  on  which  the  preacher  is 
dilating.  This  is  one  of  the  great  charms  of  Dr. 
Bunting's  ministry,  and  in  no  preacher  have  we 
known  this  pecuhar  excellence  so  strongly  display- 
ed. He  is  as  far  removed  from  the  "startling" 
school  of  preachers  as  light  is  from  darkness. 
There  is  nothing  ad  captandum  about  his  style; 
all  is  plain,  simple,  natural,  and  so  expressed,  that 
hypercriticism  is  at  faiilt  to  find  a  blemish  or  sug- 
gest an  emendation.  Having  in  his  own  mind 
(though  not  always  announcing  his  plan  to  the 
congregation)  well  arranged  the  main  and  sub- 
ordinate branches  of  his  subject,  like  an  angel  of 
hght  movuig  in  the  courts  and  avenues  of  the  tem- 
ple of  truth ;  or  like  the  sun  gently  but  perceptibly 
emerging  from  the  horizon,  first  reveahng,  then 
illumining,  and  at  length  shortening,  the  shadows 
of  every  object,  imtil  in  his  noon-day  splendor  the 
entire  circumference  of  vision  is  flooded  with  light ; 
so  Dr.  Bunting  sheds  over  his  multiform  theme  a 
pure  and  steady  light,  which  reveals  each  object 
in  all  its  bearings  and  relations  to  its  kindred  sub- 
ject or  idea.  An  intelhgent  hearer,  especially  if 
he  have  any  knowledge  of  theology,  or  love  for  the 
science,  cannot  for  a  moment  withdraw  his  atten- 
tion from  the  preacher.  The  train  of  thought  is  so 
consecutive,  each  thread  of  the  entire  web  is  so  in- 
timately mterwoven  with  the  other,  the  series  of  ar- 
guments so  logically  put  and  arranged,  and  every 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEVAN  PREACHERS.  23 

part  of  the  whole  so  mutually  dependent,  that  noth- 
ing could  be  spared  without  marring  the  beauty 
and  symmetry  of  the  structure.  His  mind  is  imbued 
with  theology.  While  undeniably  a  reader  to  no 
ordinary  extent,  especially  of  the  older  divines, 
what  he  utters  is  strikingly  his  own;  everything 
thus  gathered  having  been  so  thoroughly  digested 
and  transformed  into  aliment,  as  to  be  incorporated 
with  his  own  mental  constitution,  and  is  seen  only 
in  the  vigor,  maturity,  and  fullness,  of  his  thoughts. 
We  know  no  man  who,  in  theological  disquisition, 
more  readily  perceives  and  more  clearly  points  out 
nice  distinctions,  and  is  more  precise  in  definitions ; 
while  withal  there  is  so  much  heart  in  all  he  says, 
and  often  such  delicate  pathos,  that  his  congrega- 
tion are  always  refreshed  as  they  drink  of  the  con- 
solation which,  to  quote  again  from  Mr.  Everett,  is, 
"^\athout  apparent  effort,  pumped  up  out  of  the 
depths  of  his  own  mind,  and  is  as  fertihzing  and 
refreshing  as  the  stream  from  the  hills." 

Dr.  Bunting's  defect  as  a  preacher,  if  defect  it 
be,  is  that  he  preaches  too  long.  Probably  this 
has  more  the  appearance  of  a  defect  as  age  has 
increased  upon  him,  and  his  physical  energies  have 
somewhat  abated.  Indeed  in  converse  with  a 
friend,  who  heard  him  in  London  but  a  few  months 
ago,  we  learned  that  many  of  the  audience  retired 
before  the  sermon  was  concluded,  a  very  unusual 
thing  with  an  English  Wesleyan  congregation.  It 
is  now  probably  eight  years  since  the  sound  of  his 
voice  was  familiar  to  our  ears.    We  then  heard 


24  SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


Mm  preach  an  "occasional  sermon"  in  Manches- 
ter, and  received  the  impression  that  age  and 
much  labor  of  thought  Avere  having  their  effect 
upon  him.  In  his  palmy  days  he  was  never  known 
to  misapply  or  recall  a  word,  or  to  hesitate  in  the 
selection  of  the  choicest  words  for  the  expression 
of  his  thoughts.  Pure,  chaste,  eminently  correct, 
Saxon-English  diction  distinguished  him  above 
every  preacher  of  his  day.  He  was  perfect  in 
synonymy.  But  on  the  occasion  referred  to  lie 
not  unfrequently  hesitated,  recalled  his  words,  and 
even  once  or  twice  became  perple.\ed  by  the  en- 
tanglement of  his  sentences,  and  at  the  close  of  his 
discourse,  when  seemingly  about  to  rise  into  one 
of  those  impassioned  bursts  of  eloquence  which 
have  so  often  thrilled  and  electrified  his  audiences, 
he  suddenly  reined  in,  evidently  mistrusting  his 
powers,  and  betraying  that  distrust  by  a  dejection 
of  countenance,  which,  though  brief  in  the  ex- 
pression, was  so  full  of  feeling,  that  the  recollec- 
tion of  it  is  present  to  the  writer  with  every  re- 
membrance of  Dr.  Bunting.  It  seemed  as  though 
then,  for  the  first  time,  the  conviction  had  flashed 
upon  his  mind  that  his  faculties  were  losing  their 
long-sustained  vigor.  The  subject  was  a  mat- 
ter of  much  conversation  and  sorrow  among  his 
friends  at  the  time  ;  but  I  have  not  the  means  of 
knowing  whether  the  embarrassment  was  tempora- 
ry, arising  from  some  transient  disturbing  cause,  or 
"whether  it  was  of  so  permanent  a  character  as  his 
friends  anticipated.    My  impression  is,  that  he  has 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAX  PREACHERS.  25 

preached  less  frequently  since  then,  than  in  former 
times. 

The  doctor  is  more  remarkable  for  the  excellence 
than  the  number  of  his  special  sermons — meaning 
those  which  he  preaches  on  great  public  occasions. 
Like  the  sermon  on  "Justification  by  Faith,"  al- 
ready refen-ed  to,  they  seem  to  undergo  httle,  if 
any,  alteration  after  their  first  production.  And 
yet  they  are  ever  fresh  in  the  delivery.  He  does 
not  hesitate  to  repeat  a  discourse  before  the  same 
people,  and  apprise  them  that  he  is  aware  of  the 
repetition.  The  writer  has  heard  three  times, 
though  in  different  places,  the  discourse  on, — "  If 
any  man  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  let  him  he 
anathema  maranatha,"  and  there  petition  of  others, 
the  texts  of  which  are  not  at  this  moment  in  re- 
membrance. It  does  not  seem  likely  that  he  keeps 
any  register  of  places  and  texts,  where  and  from 
which  he  preaches,  because  we  cannot  suppose 
that  it  is  either  from  necessity  or  indolence  that 
this  repetition  arises.  Far  otherwise.  A  case  in 
point  occurs  to  us.  He  was  sohcited  to  preach  an 
occasional  sermon  at  a  comparatively  small  circuit 
town,  where  he  had  never  before  occupied  the 
pulpit.  He  consented,  and  selected  for  his  text, 
"  Curse  ye  Meroz,  curse  ye  Utterly  the  inhabitants 
thereof ;  because  t/ieycame  not  out  to  the  kelp  of  the 
Lord,  to  the  help  of  the  Lord  against  the  mighty," 
a  powerful  sermon,  by  the  way,  which  would  shut 
up  in  condemnation  thousands  of  professors  in  the 
present  day.    A  second  time  he  -was  invited,  and 


26  SKETCHES  OF  WESLKYAX  PREACHERS. 

he  took  for  his  text  the  passage  already  quoted, 
"If  any  man  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ"  <fec. 
A  very  kind  and  friendly  intercourse  sprung  up 
between  liim  and  the  people,  and  a  third  time  he 
favored  them  with  his  ministrations,  this  time 
preaching  from,  "  Behold  I  set  before  you  this  day 
a  blessing  and  a  curse,"  &c.,  dwelling  principally 
upon  the  curse  as  the  penalty  of  disobedience.  A 
fourth  application  was  made  to  him  from  the  same 
place.  A  minor  though  prior  engagement  of  some 
kind  induced  him  to  decline  the  invitation.  "  Nay, 
doctor,"  said  the  applicant,  "you  have  three  times 
pronounced  a  curse  upon  us,  surely  you  will  not 
refuse  to  come  and  bless  us."'  "What's  that?" 
said  Dr.  Bunting.  The  facts  were  repeated  to 
him.  He  smiled,  and  immediately  replied,  "0 
yes,  my  brother,  I  '11  come  down  and  bless  you  be- 
fore I  die,  and  if  God  spares  me,  I  will  accept 
your  invitation."  He  did  so,  and  preached  from 
these  words,  "  Surely  blessing  I  will  bless  thee." 
The  sermon  Avas  said  to  be  one  of  the  richest  dis- 
courses he  ever  delivered. 

Perhaps  no  preacher  has  appeared  more  fre- 
quently in  print  than  Dr.  Bunting.  His  are  ser- 
mons, indeed,  not  difficult  to  report,  and  very  pro- 
fitable to  read.  Hence,  whenever  he  is  within  rea- 
sonable distance  of  the  metropohs,  the  publishers 
of  the  "  Pulpit,"  the  "  Wesleyan  Preacher,"  and 
other  periodicals  devoted  to  the  publication  of  ser- 
mons, dispatch  reporters  to  take  down  his  dis- 
course, greatly  to  the  annoyance  of  the  reverend 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  27 

gentleman,  who,  in  common  with  his  brethren,  has 
a  strong  aversion  to  appearing  in  print,  at  least  in 
such  prints  under  such  circumstances.  Some  cha- 
racteristic anecdotes  are  current  respecting  him  in 
this  connection.  Once  when  preaching  at  Ham- 
mersmith, in  the  suburbs  of  London,  he  saw  a  re- 
porter in  the  gallery  busily  taking  notes.  Pausing 
in  the  introduction,  he  quietly  said,  "  I  see  a  re- 
porter there,  in  the  front  pew  of  the  gallery.  I 
beg  to  infonn  him  that  not  only  has  this  discourse 
been  more  than  once  preached  by  me,  but  by  re- 
ferring to  the  "  Pulpit"  of  such  a  date  (naming  it)  he 
will  find  it  there  reported,  and  may  save  himself  a 
second  desecration  of  the  sabbath  and  the  house 
of  God."  The  reporter,  however,  was  not  made 
of  such  modest  stuff,  that  even  such  a  reproof  could 
prevent  the  fulfillment  of  his  contract  with  those 
who  sent  him.  Equally  pointed  was  his  reproof  of 
one  of  the  offending  tribe  on  another  occasion,  but 
equally  fruitless  in  its  result.  "  Young  man,"  said 
he,  "I  see  you  are  busy  taking  notes  of  my  ser- 
mon. If  you  wish  to  remember  it,  you  should  try 
and  do  so  when  you  go  home,  and  not  disturb  a 
whole  congregation,  peaceably  assembled  for  the 
worship  of  God."  We  are  not  aware,  however, 
that  he  ever  resorted  to  legal  measures  to  hinder 
the  proprietors  of  such  periodicals  from  publishing 
his  discom'ses,  or  that  the  question  has  ever  been 
fairly  tried  in  the  English  courts.  Soon  after  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Hams  rose  into  deseiwed  popidarity  by 
the  pubhcation  of  his  prize  essay,  entitled  "  Mam- 


28         SKKTCHKS  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

mon,"  he  acceded  to  the  request  of  the  Wesleyan 
Missionary  Committee  to  preach  the  annual  ser- 
mon before  the  society  at  the  May  anniversary  in 
London,  when  he  deUvered  his  beautiful  discourse 
on  "  The  Witnessing  Church."  The  reporters  for 
the  "Pulpit"  were  there  in  full  force,  and  in  the 
next  publication  a  very  fair  report  of  the  discourse 
appeared.  Dr.  Harris  immediately  served  the  pub- 
Ushers  with  an  injunction,  and  they  would  not  ven- 
ture upon  a  defense,  but  compromised  the  matter 
by  suppressing  the  publication,  and  paying  all  ex- 
penses. 

We  believe  that  Dr.  Bunting  is  even  greater  as 
a  pleader  than  as  a  preacher ;  but  here  we  are  com- 
pelled to  speak  from  report,  as  the  arena  on  which 
he  has  principally  figured  in  this  character — the 
Wesleyan  Conference — is  not  an  open  body.  We 
have  occasionally  heard  him  from  the  missionary 
platfoi-m,  and  twice  during  the  great  Centenary 
meeting  in  Manchester.  His  addresses  of  this  cha- 
racter are  models  of  propriety,  full  of  great  prin- 
ciples and  impressive  views  of  the  subject  under 
discussion,  and  he  does  not  stay  to  repeat  what  is 
already  known.  To  familiar  topics,  arguments,  or 
facts,  a  mere  passing  allusion  is  made,  and  the 
speaker  goes  on  to  carry  out  the  principle  or  dis- 
cuss its  results.  In  committee  he  never  speechifies, 
seldom  talking  above  five  minutes  at  a  time,  unless 
he  is  charged  with  the  introduction  of  some  im- 
portant measure ;  but  contents  himself  with  vigilant- 
ly watching  the  debate,  occasionally  cooling  down 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEyAX  PREACHERS.  29 

any  undue  excitement,  and  narrowing  the  discus- 
sion by  judiciously  pnming  it  of  any  extraneous 
matter  -with  which  members  of  less  discernment  or 
business  capacity  may  have  encumbered  it.  He  is 
familiar  with  the  various  methods  of  sta\ang  oflF  a 
decision,  and  uses  them  when  he  foresees  a  con- 
clusion which  he  thinks  premature  or  injurious  to 
the  interests  of  the  cause  he  advocates.  But,  we 
repeat,  it  is  in  the  Conference  that  his  greatness  as 
a  pleader — his  consummate  art  and  power  at  re- 
plication— is  most  apparent.  There  we  cannot  fol- 
low him  ;  but  as  we  desire  to  give  as  perfect  a  por- 
trait of  the  man  as  our  means  will  permit,  we  copy, 
the  more  willingly  as  it  has  not  been  published  in 
America,  from  the  "  Wesleyan  Centenary  Takings," 
the  follo^ving,  which  we  have  been  frequently  as- 
sured, by  members  of  that  body,  is  to  the  life : — 

"  See  him :  there  he  shs  on  the  platform,  sm-- 
rounded  by  the  leading  members  of  the  Confer- 
ence, his  elbow  on  the  table,  and  his  chin  embed- 
ded in  the  palm  of  his  hand.  A  subject  of  import- 
ance being  on  the  tapis,  and  the  speaker  being  low, 
or  at  a  distance,  the  hand  is  speedily  relieved  of 
the  chin,  and  placed  behind  the  ear,  where  it  re- 
mains as  a  substitute  for  a  tiiimpet,  gathering  to- 
gether the  words,  while  the  sense  which  it  is  in- 
tended to  aid  drinks  in  the  sound.  An  occasional 
note  is  made  on  a  slip  of  paper,  or  the  back  of  a 
letter,  in  the  course  of  a  protracted  discussion ;  but 
memory,  which  rarely  ever  fails  him,  is  mostly  de- 
pended upon.    Now,  be  is  calm  and  dignified ;  but 


30  SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

in  an  instant  the  scene  is  changed.  The  speaker 
has  the  misfortune  to  oppose  some  favorite  theory, 
to  trench  upon  some  of  the  pecuharities  of  Me- 
thodism, or  belongs  to  the  other  side  of  the  house  : 
that  moment,  the  eye  of  om-  pleader  is  darted  hke 
the  eye  of  a  lynx  along  the  hne  of  soimd,  and 
either  quails  or  rouses  the  person  who  has  gained 
his  attention.  He  again  appears  tranquil ;  but  it  is 
the  tranquillity  of  a  man  who  is  pondering  upon 
what  has  been  said.  Speaker  succeeds  speaker, 
till  at  length  silence  ensues ;  and,  during  the  mo- 
mentary pause,  he  looks  round :  but  no  one  assay- 
ing to  rise,  he  considers  liis  own  time  to  have  come. 
He  loves  the  closing  speech  ;  and  now  that  he  is  on 
his  feet,  let  the  eye  be  thrown  around  the  audi- 
ence, and  aU  will  be  seen  on  the  tip-toe — all  will 
be  still  to  the  ear.  The  first  feeling  in  operation  in 
the  breasts  of  previous  speakers,  refers  as  much  to 
themselves  as  the  subject ;  and  the  first  thought  in 
the  mind  of  the  mere  hearer,  is  inadvertently  di- 
rected to  the  same  quarter,  and  is  followed  up  ■with 
anxiety  or  pleasure — looking  forward  to  see  how  it 
will  fare  with  such  as  have  thus  entered  the  arena 
of  debate,  as  well  as  toward  the  fate  of  the  ques- 
tion in  which  he  himself  may  have  an  interest,  and 
which  absolutely  hangs  upon  the  breath,  and  is  to 
be  decided  by  him  upon  whom  every  eye  is  now 
fixed,  as  by  fascmation.  Listen  to  him :  he  takes, 
perhaps,  at  first,  a  dispassionate  view  of  the  general 
question,  then  gives  you  his  own  opinion;  next 
goes  on  to  estabUsh  certain  positions;  notices  the 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  31 

remarks  of  previous  speakers,  so  far  as  they  seem 
to  interfere  with  his  own  sentiments ;  and,  lastly, 
proceeds  to  the  formal  reply,  in  which  he  often 
takes  upon  himself  the  onus  prohandi,  either  class- 
ifying the  arguments  of  his  opponents,  or  taking  up 
their  objections  separately,  as  may  best  siiit  his 
purpose  ;  encircling  himself  all  the  while  in  a  tower 
of  strength,  from  whose  impregnable  walls  he  nods 
defiance  to  all  his  assailants.  Very  often,  at  a  mo- 
ment, when  a  man  is  congratulating  himself  on  the 
probability  of  a  happy  escape,  or  of  finding  his  ar- 
guments valid,  by  a  less  early  notice,  he  will  come 
down  upon  him  in  an  instant,  like  an  unexpected 
flash  of  lightning,  broad  and  vivid,  shivering  to 
pieces,  by  a  single  stroke,  the  whole  superstructure 
he  had  reared,  and  upon  which  he  had  long  gazed 
with  the  fondness  of  a  parent  on  a  favorite  child — 
compelling  him  at  the  time  by  its  glare  to  shrink 
back  into  himself.  On  these  occasions,  he  can  be 
sarcastic,  solemn,  playful,  or  otherwise.  But  he 
never  approaches  a  subject  without  illuminating  it, 
and  rarely  retires  from  the  field  without  conquest; 
followed  by  the  smiles  of  his  friends,  and  lea\-ing 
the  opposing  poAvers  in  a  state  of  suspense  or  blank 
astonishment. 

"  We  feel  unwilling  to  leave  this  part  of  his  cha- 
racter, and  yet  we  are  afraid  to  proceed  with  it, 
owing  to  our  incompetency  to  do  it  justice.  We 
have  heard  pleaders  at  the  bar,  and  statesmen  in 
the  senate,  (a  place,  by  the  way,  which  he  is  very 
fond  of  attending,)  but  we  solemnly  aver,  that,  for 


82  SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREAOHEES. 


reply,  we  never  heard  a  near  approach  to  him. 
His  replies  are  like  the  set  speeches  of  some  of  our 
first  speakers ;  so  full,  so  regular,  so  neat,  so  con- 
secutive, so  pertinent,  so  easy,  so  ready  !  He  never 
talks  for  the  sake  of  talking,  to  show  off,  or  for  the 
sake  of  conquest.  He  always  has  an  object  in 
v-iew  separate  from  himself,  of  which  he  never  loses 
sight,  and  a  subject  creditable  to  his  own  intelli- 
gence. In  Ustening  to  him,  Cicero  rather  than 
Demosthenes  seems  to  haunt  the  mind ;  but  then 
it  is  Cicero  in  his  philosophical,  rather  than  his 
oratorical  character ;  his  orations  being  mere  clap- 
traps for  the  mob.  There  is  also  something  more 
stubborn  in  the  composition  of  our  modern  orator ; 
he  is  better  qualified  to  face  a  storm :  but  still,  we 
cannot  refrain  from  adverting  to  Cicero,  whose 
superiority  was  felt  by  all,  whose  -wisdom  com- 
manded respect,  and  whose  eloquence  enraptured 
the  auditor.  Here  we  perceive  a  parallel.  Every 
reply  carries  with  it  the  mathematical  precision  of 
previous  study,  even  when  there  has  been  no  means 
of  knowing  what  was  about  to  be  advanced  by  the 
opposing  party ;  and  all  is  conducted  without  pa- 
rade, imparting  light  as  unostentatiously  as  the 
sun,  which,  in  return — where  there  is  no  clashing 
interest  at  stake,  or  the  heart  is  not  abandoned  to 
prejudice — is  received  with  as  hearty  a  welcome. 
The  whole,  whether  long  or  short,  is  as  perfect  as 
if  it  had  been  prepared  months  before,  though 
only  conceived — which  shows  the  amazing  power 
of  conception  and  rapidity  of  thought — during  the 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  33 

speech  or  speeches  of  those  who  may  have  pre- 
ceded. There  is  no  haffling,  no  tripping,  not  a 
point  of  importance  omitted,  not  a  question  bUnk- 
ed ;  all  is  poured  out  with  the  freshness  and  ease 
of  the  lark  singing  his  first  morning  carol.  He  has 
no  set  time  for  emphasis ;  but  rises  in  feeling  with 
the  importance  of  his  subject ;  and  the  people  go 
up  with  liim,  till  both  gain  the  summit  of  the  mount, 
and  the  latter  feel  it  difficult  to  descend  agam,  or 
stoop  to  common  things.  His  eloquence  is  irre- 
sistible. Had  he  been  brought  up  to  the  bar,  or 
been  trained  for  the  senate,  he  would  never  have 
paused  in  liis  upward  career,  till  he  had  either  been 
premier  or  lord  high  chancellor ;  and  where  he  is, 
he  is  a  king  among  his  subjects. 

"  Still  proceeding  with  his  character  as  a  debater, 
it  may  be  observed,  that  you  always  know  where 
he  is ;  but  then,  he  knows  also  the  exact  position 
of  his  opponent.  His  presence  of  mind  never  for- 
sakes him.  No  man  makes  fewer  mistakes  ;  and  he 
never  leaves  an  advantage  unimproved.  It  is  dan- 
gerous for  an  adversary  to  slumber  or  be  off  his 
guard  in  his  presence.  He  is  always  awake  him- 
self, and,  like  the  famous  Erskine,  is  as  daring  as 
he  is  skillful ;  taking  advantage  of  the  least  opening, 
and  defending  himself  with  caution.  His  fine  spirit 
and  courage,  when  let  out,  give  vigor  and  dhection 
to  the  whole,  bearing  down  all  resistance.  He  is 
not  hke  some  speakers,  full  of  repetition,  recurring 
again  and  again  to  the  same  topic  or  view  of  the 
subject,  till  he  has  made  the  impression  complete ; 

3 


34  SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

he  rarely  goes  back  to  the  same  ground,  which,  in 
the  language  of  an  eminent  writer,  he  has  '  utterly- 
wasted  by  the  tide  of  fire  he  has  rolled  along  it.' 
He  completes  his  work  as  he  goes  on.  He  has  a 
preternatural  quickness  of  apprehension,  which  en- 
ables him  to  see  at  a  glance  what  costs  other  minds 
the  labor  of  an  investigation.  It  is  this  that  makes 
ordinary  business  easy  to  him :  and  hence,  he  has 
been  heard  to  say,  that  he  could  never  make  what 
some  men  call  speeches :  that  his  were  all  matters 
of  mere  detail  in  business.  He  is  not  only  quick, 
but  sure.  And  though  he  has  fii-e,  yet  it  is  of  that 
kind,  that  he  has  rarely  the  heat  of  passion  to  plead 
or  regret.  As  the  head  of  a  party,  he  has  none  of 
its  prejudices  to  plead,  having  no  person  to  serve ; 
and  he  has  few,  if  any  peculiarities,  of  a  personal 
character ;  no  '  mental  idiosyncracies,'  as  Lord 
Brougham  would  say,  to  indulge,  which  produce 
capricious  fancies  and  crotchets.  His  faculties  are 
always  unclouded  and  unstunted,  ever  to  be  de- 
pended on  ;  and  his  judgment  secures  him  success 
and  adherents." 

The  name  of  Doctor  Bunting  will  ever  be  asso- 
ciated with  Wesleyan  Methodism.  He  has  taken 
such  an  active  part  in  the  deliberations  and  gov- 
ernment of  the  body ;  has  impressed  upon  its  con- 
stitution so  much  of  his  own  views  and  policy,  and 
is  so  universally  regarded  as  the  virtual  head  of 
the  denomination,  that  his  name  will  be  perpetuated 
for  ever  in  this  connection.  Against  all  the  world, 
we  are  prepared  to  deny  that  Dr.  Bunting  could 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS.  35 


ever  have  attained  his  present  position,  as  a  ruler 
in  the  Methodistic  Israel,  if  there  had  been  any 
defect  in  his  moral  or  religious  cliaracter ;  or  that 
he  could  have  reached  it  by  any  selfish,  cunning, 
aggrandizing  policy.  The  known  piety,  intelli- 
gence, probity,  and  independence  of  his  brethren, 
forbid  such  a  supposition.  How  then  has  he  at- 
tained such  a  position,  at  once  so  creditable  to  his 
personal,  religious,  and  Methodistical  character? 
Perhaps  it  may  interest  the  reader  to  trace,  in 
tliis  connection,  the  personal  historj'  of  Dr.  Bunt- 
ing. 

The  reverend  gentleman  is  of  humble  parentage, 
and  was  bom  in  the  county  of  Derby,  in  1Y80. 
Both  his  parents  were  members  of  the  Wesleyan 
Society  ;  they  removed  to  Manchester  while  our 
subject  was  yet  a  child.  In  that  town  he  was 
admitted  into  the  free  grammar-school,  and  there 
attracted  the  attention  of  the  celebrated  Dr.  Per- 
cival,  who  employed  him  as  his  amanuensis,  and 
at  his  death  showed  the  respect  and  confidence  he 
entertained  toward  him  by  appointing  him  one  of 
his  executors.  At  an  early  age  the  youth  joined 
the  Wesleyan  Society,  though  he  was  at  the  time 
siuTounded  by  Unitarian  influences.  In  1799,  be- 
ing then  about  nineteen  years  of  age,  he  entered 
the  itinerancy  under  the  auspices  of  the  Rev. 
William  Thompson,  who  presided  at  the  first  Con- 
ference after  the  death  of  Mr.  Wesley.  His  first 
circuit  was  Oldham ;  his  first  superintendent  the 
Rev.  John  Gaulter.    His  second  circuit  was  Mac- 


86  SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


clesfield,  where  he  remained  two  years,  as  at  Old- 
ham. At  this  juncture  lie  attracted  the  notice  of 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Coke,  and  was  selected  for  the  mis- 
sionary work.  Dr.  Coke  designing  him  for  a  mis- 
sion at  Gibraltar.  This  arrangement,  however,  fell 
through,  and  about  the  same  time  he  married.  From 
Macclesfield  our  subject  was  removed  to  London, 
where  he  labored  with  much  popularity  and  suc- 
cess for  two  years ;  and  was  then  stationed  at 
Manchester.  Here  he  distinguished  himself  as  an 
advocate  for  ecclesiastical  order  in  a  controversy 
with  some  disaffected  Methodists  known  as  the 
"Band-room  party."  His  intimate  knowledge  and 
just  appreciation  of  the  economy  of  Wesleyan  Me- 
thodism, while  yet  so  young,  surprised  every  one, 
and  from  that  time  he  continued  to  grow  in  favor 
with  the  people,  while  he  also  secured,  in  a  won- 
derful degree,  the  confidence  of  his  brethren.  They 
recognized  in  him  one  who  had  made  the  Wesleyan 
economy  his  familiar  study,  endowed  with  pecu- 
liar administrative  talents,  capable  of  taking  en- 
larged views ;  fertile  in  expedients  for  the  most  sud- 
den and  alarming  emergencies ;  and  far  sighted  in  his 
estimate  of  the  future.  Their  confidence  has  never 
been  withdrawn.  When  he  has  been  most  bit- 
terly assailed  from  without,  in  the  Conference  he  has 
been  cheered  with  the  most  cordial  expressions  of 
esteem  and  love.  Four  times  has  he  been  elected 
to  the  presidency  of  that  body,  and  as  each  suc- 
ceeding year  rolls  round  he  abundantly  justifies 
their  confidence,  and  astonishes  his  brethren  by 


SKETCHES  OF  AVESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  37 

his  intimate  and  perfect  knowledge  of  the  affairs 
of  the  whole  connection,  and  with  the  unhesitating 
and  almost  unerring  wisdom  that  enables  him  to 
surmount  every  difficulty,  anticipate  every  necessity, 
comiteract  all  opposition,  and  satisfy  every  demand. 

It  would  seem  that  Dr.  Bunting  was  bom  to  rule. 
He  has  every  qualification  for  a  ruler ;  always  well 
maturing  his  plans  before  he  introduces  them,  and 
adapting  them  to  the  necessities  of  the  time.  He 
is  never  hasty  in  legislation.  Many  of  his  mea- 
sures are  known  to  have  slept  long  within  his  own 
mind  before  they  were  made  public ;  his  intimate 
friends  then  first  perceiving  the  importance  of  in- 
quiries seemingly  casually  addressed  to  them,  or 
to  others  in  their  hearing,  and  the  use  to  which 
the  interrogator  purposed  applying  the  informa- 
tion thus  obtained.  It  is  by  this  constant  seeking 
after  knowledge  that  he  has  acquired  his  present 
influence  in  the  councils  of  the  connection.  He 
has  not  been  content  with  barely  doing  what  the 
rules  or  usage  of  the  body  required  of  him — preach- 
ing his  allotted  quota  of  sermons,  going  the  rounds  of 
his  circuit,  <fec. — but  has  laid  himself  out  to  perma- 
nently promote  the  best  interests  of  Methodism. 
For  this  purpose  he  has  taken  a  comprehensive 
view  of  Wesleyan  Methodism  as  the  creature  of 
providential  circumstances,  has  kept  his  eye  upon 
the  entire  movements  of  its  vast  machineiy,  and 
familiarized  himself  with  all  the  details  of  its  opera- 
tions. The  knowledge  thus  obtained  he  has  turned 
to  account ;  confidence  in  that  knowledge  has  thus 


38  SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


increased,  and  this  again  has  operated  to  the  in- 
crease of  his  knowledge  ;  for  men  finding  tliat  he 
makes  it  his  business  to  watch  over  the  concerns 
of  the  body,  to  a  certain  extent  commit  their  in- 
terests into  his  hands :  and  thus  information  pours 
in  upon  him  from  every  quarter;  and  however 
minute  the  details,  not  one  of  them  is  overlooked 
or  forgotten.  All  this  knowledge  he  brings  to 
practical  account;  marks  the  bearing  of  facts 
upon  principles,  and  applies  all  to  the  politics  of 
Methodism ;  making  it,  in  fact,  his  daily  study  to 
adapt  its  economy  to  the  exigencies,  and,  as  far  as 
lawful,  to  the  spirit  of  the  times.  It  is  a  fact  but 
little  known,  and,  by  those  who  have  been  accus- 
tomed to  hear  this  great  man  railed  at  as  a  priestly 
dictator,  not  even  suspected,  that  nearly  every 
measure  which  has  popularized  the  institutions  of 
Methodism — which  has  given  to  the  people  a  more 
liberal  representation  —  has  originated  with  Dr. 
Bunting.  "Methodism  as  it  is"  bears  on  every 
lineament  the  impress  of  his  enlightened  and  liberal 
views,  while  it  is  immensely  indebted  to  him  for 
its  almost  perfect  system  of  finance.  We  believe 
we  give  correct  information  when  we  say  that  some 
seven  or  eight  years  ago,  when  Wesleyan  Metho- 
dists were  exposed  to  mmaerous  indignities  at  the 
hands  of  certain  conceited  Puseyite  clergymen,  the 
subject  of  our  sketch  was  prepared,  perhaps  more 
than  any  other  Wesleyan  minister,  to  take  a  bold 
and  open  stand  against  the  Established  Church,  or 
at  least  to  declare  separation  from  it,  had  not  the 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS.  39 

mhumanity  of  the  clergjinen  in  question  received 
a  sufficient  and  salutary  rebuke  in  the  ecclesias- 
tical courts  of  the  land. 

Such  is  oui-  estimate  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Bunting ; 
and  we  believe  the  estimate  is  not,  in  any  one  of 
its  favorable  aspects,  in  the  least  degree  overdrawn. 
The  world,  out  of  Methodism,  does  not  know  him ; 
even  some  Wesleyans  do  not  understand  him  ;  for 
he  has  refused  to  put  himself  on  his  defense 
against  the  groundless  accusations  with  which  he 
has  been  pertinaciously  assailed.  He  has  been, 
we  had  almost  said,  too  indifferent  about  popu- 
larity. That  he  courted  praise  of  men,  or  was  in- 
sincere in  his  advice  and  counsel  to  his  brethren, 
has  never  been  charged  upon  him.  That  he  has 
opponents,  even  in  the  Conference,  cannot  be  de- 
nied. It  is  well  that  he  should  have.  But  that 
that  opposition  is  composed  of  more  liberal  men 
than  himself  we  are  disposed  to  deny ;  while  we 
believe  that  even  they  will  not  claim  the  credit  of 
greater  attachment  to  Methodism,  or  equal  famili- 
arity with  its  economy.  We  could  mention  acts 
of  Christian  kindness  and  lu-banity  to  his  younger 
brethren  in  the  ministry,  and  endences  of  high- 
toned  integrity  in  seasons  of  peculiar  trial,  which 
would  make  his  very  enemies  praise  him,  but  deh- 
cacy  forbids  their  introduction  here  ;  and  we  dis- 
miss him  with  a  cordial  hope  that,  though  he  now 
stands  on  the  verge  of  threescore  years  and  ten, 
he  may  be  spared  "  yet  a  little  longer,"  to  preside 
over  the  vast  interests  of  the  denomination  which 


40  SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


has  long,  by  general  consent,  placed  hiin  at  the 
head  of  its  most  important  institutions. 


The  following  jcu  d'esp-it  appeared  many  years  ago  in 
Leeds,  where  Dr.  Bunting,  with  great  frequency,  exorcised 
his  ministry  in  behalf  of  the  various  institutions  supported 
by  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  societies  : — 

"BEGGING." 

LINES  WRITTEN  BY  A  YORKSHIRE  MAN,  ON  HEARING  THE  BEV.  JABE2 
BUNTING  PREACH  AT  LEEDS. 

Thej'  say  as  how  one  Jabez  Bunting  preach'd 
Better  than  ony  man  as  ever  teacli'd  ; 
Now  Fze  no  Methodist,  i'  heart  or  mind, 
I  like  auld  Mother  Church  too  iveel.  ye  find  : 
She  'U  let  folk  go  to  lieaven  ;ust  as  they  please, 
But  Methodists  demand  both  liands  and  knees. 
Howe'er,  it  matters  not  my  standing  granting-, 
I  went  to'd  Boggard-honse*  to  hear  this  Bunting. 
I  liked  his  sarmond,  ne'er  was  a  comjtleter ; 
His  text  was  t'  fish's  mouth  and  Simon  Peter. 
He  taUc'd  as  how  i  th'  Scriptures  it  wor  shown 
As  aU  good  things  we  have  are  not  our  own  ; 
Just  as  he  summ'd  up  all,  he  said,  "  My  friends. 
The  cause  before  you  gloriously  tends  ; 
The  work  is  great,  the  lieathen  ask  your  aid, 
Give  freely,  and  you  '11  freely  be  repaid  ; 
They  want  the  gospel— Britons  are  its  nurses- 
Come  forward  with  your  prayers  and  with  your  purses  ; 

0  that  at  last  with  them  we  may  be  found — 
Our  friends  will  please  to  take  tlie  boxes  round." 
Thowt  I,  it 's  but  a  time  by  chance,  I'ze  wUling 
To  gie  tliis  honest  preacher  an  odd  shilling. 

1  did  so,  and  went  liome  ;  I  tcU'd  my  wife 
I  ne'er  wor  better  pleased  in  all  my  life. 

But  then,  said  I,  (and  spoke  just  like  an  ass,) 
These  beggings  varrt/  seldom  come  to  pass  ; 

*  The  name  of  an  old  Methodist  chapel  in  Leeds.  In  the  dialect 
of  Yorkshire  the  term  "  boggard  "  means  a  ghost :  this  old  chapel  was 
formerly  said  to  be  haunted ;  whence  the  name  by  which  it  is  still 
popularly  designated. 


SKETCHES  OF  TVESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


Happen,  when  he 's  not  begging  for  this  land, 

He  talks  plaiu  things,  just  as  they  come  to  hand : 

They  say  next  Sunday  night  but  one  they  '11  meet— 

I  '11  go  and  hear  him  then— in  Albion-street. 

I  went ;  I  liked  his  sarmond  more  and  more, 

And  he  concluded  sooner  than  before  ; 

Tuke  up  his  h>Tnn-book,  skenn'd  it  at  both  ends, 

And,  to  my  great  amazement,  said,  "  My  friends, 

You,  and  the  members  of  this  great  connection, 

Will  recollect  the  quarterly  collection." 

Thowt  I,  (and  so,  I  lay,  there  thmot  a  many,) 

Begging  again  ?    I  '11  gic  thee  but  a  penny. 

I  did  so.   Musing,  went  horne.   I  liked  the  man  ; 

But  then  I  could'nt  'bid/-  this  begging  plan. 

Ho-we'er,  thowt  I,  1  'U  tr>-  him  once  again  ; 

They  say  next  month  he  '11  preach  in  Meadow-lane. 

I  wont  wi'  some  suspicion,  that 's  the  truth ; 

He  preach'd  that  night  about  reli^aous  youth  : 

Sure  wack  o'  skoeJs  lor  garnishing  he  brought, 

Where  lads  were  fed,  and  leach'd.  and  clotlied  for  uaugiit. 

One  skoel*  to  great  advantage  forth  he  set, 

Theu  said  it  war  five  hundred  pounds  in  debt. 

Well  done,  thowt  I,  a  house  can't  be  loiry  small. 

As  hods  so  many  lads,  tachers  an'  all ; 

Howe'er,  t«'  that  pray  what  ha'  we  to  do  ? 

He  paused  a  moment,  and  theu  let  us  know, — 

"  I  hope  you  all  your  liberal  mites  wiU  bring ; 

Our  friends  will  please  to  gather  while  we  sing." 

Nay,  Jabez,  nay,  tliis  money  all  things  mellows  : 

One  o'  our  kine  and  ye  are  just  right  fellows  ; 

She  always  gies  a  rare  good  meal,  does  Clover  ; 

But  then,  like  you,  she  minds  to  kick  It  over. 


*  Kingsjvood  School 


42         SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


lof)n  0mitl). 

"His  only  righteousness  I  show, 

His  saving  truth  proclaim  ; 
'Tis  all  my  business  liere  below, 

To  cry,  '  Behold  tlie  Lamb  '.' 
Happy  if  with  my  latest  breatli 

I  may  but  gasp  liis  name  ; 
Preach  liim  to  all,  and  cry  in  deatli, 

'  Behold,  beliold  tlie  Lamb.'  "—Wcslei/. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  distinguished  from 
liis  numerous  namesakes,  both  in  and  out  of  the 
British  Wesleyan  Conference,  as  "  John  Smith,  the 
revivaUst ;"  and  well  did  he  deserve  the  implied 
tribute  to  his  zeal  and  his  successful  labors.  Had 
he  been  John  Smith  only,  or  even  "  John  Smith, 
the  3d,"  as  the  Minutes  of  the  Conference  had  it, 
he  had  probably  lived  to  this  day ;  but  the  revi- 
valist disdained  to  measure  his  labors  by  his  phy- 
sical strength,  and  he  died  at  a  comparatively  early 
age.  A  memoir  of  him  was  written  by  his  friend, 
Rev.  Richard  TrefFry,  jun.,  and  has  been  republish- 
ed in  this  country.  It  is  a  book  that  no  man  can 
read  without  feeling  that  few  of  the  ambassadors 
of  Christ  have  done  equal  honor  to  their  Master, 
and  to  the  importance  of  their  message,  albeit  their 
commission  runneth  in  the  same  terms.  Truly  he 
presented  "his  body  a  living  sacrifice  unto  God." 

J ohn  Smith,  the  revivalist,  was  a  Yorkshireman, 
a  native  of  Cudworth,  a  village  near  Bamsley,  in 
the  West-riding  of  Yorkshire.    His  father  was  a 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  43 


local  preacher,  of  considerable  popularity  in  his 
neighborhood,  and  desemng  of  a  short  notice  be- 
fore his  son  is  more  fully  introduced.  Mr.  Smith, 
sen.,  or  "  Billy  Smith,"  as  he  was  famiUarly  called, 
was  remarkable  rather  for  his  zeal,  and  the  warmth 
of  his  piety,  than  for  the  extent  of  his  infonnation 
or  the  strength  of  his  judgment.  In  the  pulpit 
and  in  the  prayer  meeting  he  was  in  his  element. 
He  was  a  man  of  one  sermon — invariably  deUvering 
the  same  discom-se,  though  his  texts  ranged  over 
numerous  passages.  They  were  such  as  admitted 
of  easy  accommodation,  as,  "  Ye  must  be  bom 
again ;"  "  K  any  man  have  not  the  spirit  of  Christ 
he  is  none  of  his ;"  "  Except  ye  be  converted,"  kc. 
His  preaching,  nevertheless,  was  accompanied  with 
such  \mction  from  the  Holy  One,  that  it  was  always 
acceptable,  and  seldom  %vithout  fruit  to  the  praise 
and  glory  of  God.  He  was  a  simple,  humble, 
self-distrustmg  man ;  and  hence  God  owned  his 
labors,  and,  by  what  some  would  call  the  foolish- 
ness of  preaching,  saved  them  that  beUeved.  The 
first  time  that  he  occupied  the  pulpit  at  Bamsley, 
which  was  the  head  of  the  circuit,  he  was  ensnared 
by  the  fear  of  man ;  and  to  avoid  embarrassment 
from  his  novel  situation,  he  closed  his  eyes,  and 
did  not  reopen  them  until  emboldened  by  having 
nearly  reached  the  close  of  liis  discom-se  without 
breaking  down,  when  he  discovered,  what  some 
of  the  younger  members  of  the  congregation  had 
long  been  tittering  at,  that  in  his  agitation  he  had 
turned  his  back  upon  the  audience,  and  had  direct- 


44         SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


ed  alike  his  words  of  comfort  and  his  denunciations 
against  ungodliness  to  the  naked  wall  to  which 
the  pulpit  was  affixed. 

At  later  periods  the  writer  often  heard  Mr.  Smith 
preach  in  the  same  chapel,  and  exercise  an  aston- 
ishing influence  over  the  feelings  of  his  hearers  by 
a  sermon  every  word  of  which  was  more  familiar 
to  them  than  a  "  thrice-told  tale."  Sometimes  he 
would  make  confession,  on  this  wise,  as  to  the 
unity  of  his  ministerial  teachings  :  "I  wonder,  my 
friends,  at  your  coming  to  hear  such  a  stick  as  me. 
If  I  could  but  preach  hke  my  son,  or  Richard 
Watson,  or  Dr.  Adam  Clarke,  or  any  of  these  great 
men,  [the  old  man's  estimate  of  his  son's  intellect- 
ual standing  would  excite  a  smile,]  then  I  would 
not  wonder  at  your  coming.  But  you  all  know 
well  enough  that  I  have  but  one  sermon,"  &c. 
Yes  ;  and  we  all  knew  "  well  enough  "  the  enthe 
mechanism  of  that  sermon — literally  the  "  time  to 
laugh,  and  the  time  to  weep  ;"  for  to  avoid  either 
was  no  easy  matter,  often  as  we  had  listened  to 
the  old  man's  discourse.  About  five  minutes  were 
taken  up  in  the  introduction ;  about  fifteen  in  de- 
scribing "  the  characters  mentioned  in  the  text ;" 
then  two  or  three  minutes  in  dove-tailing  the  latter 
part  of  the  sermon  to  the  former,  always  in  these 
words,  and  equally  uniform  in  pathos  :  "  And  now, 
my  friends,  if  you  were  all  of  this  description  of 
people  I  should  have  nowt  to  do  but  to  tell  you  to 
go  on,  and  to  conclude.  But,  alas,  you  are  not, 
and,"  &c.    Then  from  seven  to  ten  minutes  would 


SKETCHES  OF  TVESLETAN  PREACHERS.  45 


be  occupied  in  "  describing  the  character  of  the 
xinconverted ;"  and  this  would  be  followed  by  a 
brief  and  earnest  exhortation,  invariably  commenc- 
ing with  these  words,  though  he  had  preached 
there  only  the  Sunday  before,  and  had  ever  so  thin 
a  congregation — they  were,  in  fact,  habitual  with 
him,  and  were  only  intended  figuratively  to  express 
a  general  truth,  though  to  the  hearer  they  seemed 
to  convey  a  particular  statement — "  Ah !  my  friends, 
we 've  had  a  monny  deeaths  at  Cud'orth  since  I 
was  here  last ;  and  I  see  you 've  had  a  monny  here 
too.  There 's  one  gone  out  of  that  pew,  another 
out  of  that,  [pointing  in  various  directions,]  and 
another  out  of  that ;  and  it  '11  be  yom-  turn 
next,"  &c. 

Mr.  Smith,  sen.,  was  a  country  tailor,  "diligently 
working  with  his  hands,  that  he  might  proxide 
things  honest  in  the  sight  of  all  men ;"  doing  his 
share,  also,  unostentatiously,  in  ministering  to  the 
necessities  of  such  of  the  household  of  faith  as 
were  poorer  than  himself.  Though  a  simple  man, 
he  had  a  good  deal  of  latent  humor,  and  was  a 
little  impatient  of  contradiction.  Like  good  old 
Sammy  Hick,  he  had  a  "comrade  through  the 
wilderness,"  who  was  called  "Matty."  This  good 
woman  suffered  from  a  nervous  affection  for  a 
number  of  years,  and  finally  became  a  hypochon- 
driac. Her  monomania  took  the  form  of  a  belief 
that  she  should  die  suddenly  in  the  night ;  and  as 
the  malady  increased  her  husband's  rest  was  sadly 
intPiTuptcd  by  her  appeals  for  help  in  her  (maagi- 


'ft 

46         SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

nary)  death-struggles ;  though,  sooth  to  say,  if  re- 
port were  correct,  these  appeals  were  made  with  a 
strength  of  lungs,  and  an  energy,  such  as  do  not 
generally  exist  on  the  eve  of  dissolution.  The  old 
man  bore  this  trial  for  a  long  time  with  exemplary 
patience ;  but  at  length  the  loss  of  sleep  and  the 
excitement  threatened  seriously  to  destroy  his 
health,  upon  which  depended  their  temporal  sub- 
sistence. He  therefore  resolved  upon  a  "  kill  or 
cui'e "  procedure,  having  probably  satisfied  him- 
self that  the  latter  was  far  more  likely  to  be  the 
result  of  his  manoeuvre.  The  next  time  Matty 
awoke  him  with  the  usual  exclamation,  "  0  Billy, 
I 'm  dying  !  I  shan't  live  five  minutes !"  he  simply 
responded,  "  Praise  the  Lord  !  praise  the  Lord !" 
This  astonished  the  dying  woman  not  a  little ;  but 
supposing  that  he  had  imperfectly  heard  or  mis- 
understood her,  she  repeated,  with  some  asperity, 
"  I  tell  you,  I 'm  dying,  Billy :  you  '11  lose  me." 
"Bless  the  Lord!"  said  the  husband,  Avith  some- 
thing of  exultation  in  his  voice  ;  "  Bless  the  Lord  : 
he  is  going  to  take  her  at  last  1  Glory  be  to  his 
name  for  his  goodness — all  this  suffering  will  soon 
be  over — praise  the  Lord !  What  a  blessed  re- 
leaser' This  was  too  much  for  the  old  lady,  and 
the  breaking  forth  of  her  indignation  was  perhaps 
even  more  of  a  storm  than  even  her  husband  cared 
to  admit.  "  0  you  cruel  man !  the  years  that 
we 've  lived  together !  the  wife  that  I 've  been  to 
you !  and  now  to  praise  God  that  I 'm  dying !  And 
a  blessed  release  too  !    0  !  Billy  ."    The  re- 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS,  4*7 

mainder  of  the  sentence  was  lost  in  a  burst  of  pas- 
sionate grief.  Billy  saw  that  his  ruse  had  told, 
and  was  determined  to  carry  it  thi-ough.  "  Why, 
my  lass,"  said  he,  "thou  sees  thou  hast  often 
wished  the  Lord  would  release  thee  from  thy  suf- 
ferings, and  take  thee  to  himself  and  to  glory ;  but 
I  always  wanted  thee  to  stay  a  bit  longer,  and  that 
seemed  selfishness,  and  perhaps  hindered  God  from 
granting  thy  desire :  so  I  have  at  last  made  up 
ray  mind  to  give  thee  up,  and  praise  God  for  thy 
release."  Either  the  shock  to  Matty's  nerves  ef- 
fected a  cure,  (no  uncommon  thing  in  such  cases,) 
or,  on  reflection,  her  good  sense  triumphed  over 
her  morbid  craving  for  sympathy  and  excitement ; 
she  saw  that  her  endeared  husband  had  been 
taxed  beyond  his  strength,  and  thereafter  the 
dying  hour  was  devoted  to  refreshing  sleep ;  her 
health  gradually  improved ;  and  the  twain  hved 
some  years  after,  jointly  walking  in  all  the  com- 
mandments of  the  Lord  blameless ;  and  both,  in  a 
ripe  old  age,  passed  peacefully  through  the  valley 
of  death  to  the  heavenly  Canaan. 

But  we  must  leave  the  company  of  the  father 
and  return  to  the  son.  It  must  ever  be  a  source 
of  deep  regret,  both  for  his  own  and  his  compa- 
nions' sake,  that  the  early  life  of  John  Smith  was 
spent  in  open  wickedness.  With  his  impulsive 
disposition,  his  natural  strength  of  mind,  and  force 
of  character,  he  could  not  fail  to  exert  a  powerful 
influence,  for  good  or  for  evil,  over  all  with  whom 
he  associated ;  and  as  in  his  early  days,  notwith- 


48  SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS, 

standing  the  counsels  and  example  of  pious  pa- 
rents, he  became  the  companion  of  the  ungodly, 
so  he  had  a  sad  pre-eminence  in  daring  exploits  of 
wickedness.  These,  however,  do  not  come  within 
the  scope  of  these  sketches.  He  had  a  strong 
passion  for  pugilistic  contests,  for  which  his  mus- 
cular frame  and  personal  courage  emmently  fitted 
liim,  and  would  travel  miles  to  be  present  at  a 
prize-fight.  In  all  these  things  his  true  character 
appeared ;  he  was  open,  bold,  and  fearless,  dis- 
daining hypocrisy,  and  never  contenting  himself 
vrith  half  measures.  Of  these  distinguishing  traits 
of  his  character  the  writer  has  heard  abundant 
evidence  in  Mr.  Smith's  native  village ;  and  it  was 
necessary  thus  briefly  to  allude  to  them  to  enable 
the  reader  to  form  a  just  view  of  the  triumph  of 
divine  grace  which  will  appear  in  the  sequel.  God 
had  work  for  him  to  do,  as  he  had  for  Saul  of 
Tarsus,  and  was  not  unmindful  of  the  daily  suppli- 
cations of  his  afflicted  parents.  In  the  year  1812, 
John  Smith  being  then  in  the  nineteenth  year  of 
his  age,  a  revival  of  religion  took  place  at  Cud- 
worth,  and,  while  on  a  visit  to  his  father's  house, 
he  came  under  its  gracious  influence.  At  the  sab- 
bath evening  meeting  the  strong  man  was  bowed 
down,  and  cried  aloud  for  mercy  in  the  midst  of 
the  great  congregation.  The  father  was  preaching 
in  another  part  of  the  circuit,  but  there  were  pray- 
ing men  there  who  knew  how  to  value  a  human 
soul,  and  who  knew  also  that  if  John  Smith  were 
converted,  he  would  be  a  valiant  soldier  of  the 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS.  49 

cross.  These  wrestled  with  him  mightily  in  prayer ; 
yet  the  young  man  returned  to  his  father's  house 
without  any  mitigation  of  his  distress.  But  his 
purpose  was  fixed ;  at  home  he  continued  wrest- 
ling and  groaning  in  the  agony  of  his  spirit,  and 
refusing  to  be  comforted,  imtil  God,  against  whom 
he  had  sinned,  should  assure  him  of  pardon.  I 
have  more  than  once  heard  Mr.  Smith,  senior,  tell, 
with  streaming  eyes,  of  his  joy  that  night,  when, 
returning  from  his  appointment,  he  found  his  son 
John  and  another  of  his  children  wrestling  for 
mercy  under  his  roof.  "  We  thought  not  of  sleep 
or  rest  that  night,  until  God  spoke  peace  to  my 
poor  prodigal  son,"  said  the  old  man,  "and  then 
we  were  all  too  happy  to  sleep." 

But  these  reminiscences  must  be  passed  over, 
and  Mr.  Smith,  as  an  English  Wesleyan  preacher, 
must  be  placed  before  the  reader.  It  was  origi- 
nally intended  that  he  should  enter  the  mission 
field,  and  it  was  proposed  to  him  that  he  should 
supply  a  vacancy  in  the  Island  of  Ceylon.  To  this 
he  heartily  agreed,  and  the  consent  of  his  parents 
was  obtained  ;  but  on  consultation  with  a  medical 
gentleman,  the  project  was  abandoned  on  account 
of  his  health,  which  had  already  suffered  from  in- 
tense study  and  arduous  labor.  In  1816  he  en- 
tered upon  the  itinerant  ministry,  in  the  York  cir- 
cuit. At  the  commencement  of  his  itinerancy  he 
did  not  give  any  promise  of  that  remarkable  use- 
fulness which  subsequently  distingmshed  him,  but 
was  endeared  to  all  by  the  simplicity  and  frank- 
4 


50  SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  rREACIIERS. 

ness  of  his  cliaracter,  and  tlie  earnestness  and  sin- 
cerity of  his  piety.  It  was  in  the  year  1828  that 
the  wiiter  of  this  first  heaud  him  preach.  He  was 
then  in  the  height  of  his  popularity  and  usefulness, 
and  in  comparative  health  and  vigor.  He  preached 
on  the  morning  and  evening  of  the  sabbath-day, 
and  held  a  public  prayer  meeting  in  the  afternoon. 
He  had,  by  the  way,  attended  the  "  band  meet- 
ing "  on  the  previous  evening,  and  the  people  had 
had  a  foretaste  of  what  they  might  expect.  That 
sabbath  was  a  day  not  to  be  forgotten  in  a  man's 
life-time.  I  was  much  impressed  witli  a  peculi- 
arity which  is  noticed  by  Mr.  Treffiy  in  his  Me- 
moir— the  deep  reverence  and  feeling  with  which 
he  repeated  the  Lord's  Prayer — in  which  respect 
how  many  ministers  of  religion  would  do  well  to 
imitate  his  example,  and  do  equal  honor  to  Him 
who  gave  that  fonn  to  his  disciples !  Among  the 
English  Wesleyan  preachers  this  prayer  is  invari- 
ably repeated  at  the  close  of  the  first  prayer  in 
each  service,  probably  thinking  that  as  the  Son  of 
God  framed  the  prayer,  it  is  likely  to  be  more 
comprehensive  than  any  words  of  mere  man's  de- 
vice—  that  it  may  possibly  embrace  sometliing 
which  they  have  omitted — that  it  is  no  more  anti- 
quated than  the  gospel  which  they  labor  to  pro- 
mulgate— and  that  if  Christ  has  not  commanded  its 
use,  it  yet  is  but  due  to  our  all-prevalent  Interces- 
sor and  High  Priest,  that  as  often  as  possible  our 
supplications  should  be  summed  up  in  the  words  of 
the  prayer  he  has  bequeathed  us.    From  the  lips 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEY  AN  PREACHERS.  51 

of  Mr.  Smith  it  was  not  a  mere  fonn  of  prayer — it 
was  prayer  itself.  The  whole  congregation  seemed 
suddenly  to  have  discovered  a  new  meaning  in 
those  supplications,  and  as  the  preacher's  voice 
trembled  with  emotion  it  seemed  as  though  he  had 
laid  hold  of  the  divine  strength,  and  was  bringing 
God  down  to  earth ;  responses  increased  in  fervor 
in  all  directionsj'and  when  he  came  to  the  closing 
ascription — "for  thine  is  the  kingdom,  and  the 
power,  and  the  glory,  for  ever" — the  people  were 
overwhelmed  by  the  manifestation  of  the  divine 
presence,  and,  for  several  seconds  after  the  "  Amen" 
was  pronounced,  suppressed  murmurings  of  holy 
joy  lingered  on  hundreds  of  lips,  while  tears  of  in- 
expressible delight  suffused  the  eyes  of  others  who 
felt 

"  The  speechless  awe  which  dares  not  move. 
And  all  the  silent  heaven  of  love." 

The  subject  of  Mr.  Smith's  discourse  was  per- 
sonal holiness — entire  sanctification  of  heart.  No 
man  could  speak  more  experimentally  of  this 
great  doctrine,  which  is  universally  held  by  the 
English  Methodist  preachers,  and  is  made  promi- 
nent in  their  preaching.  With  our  present  subject 
it  was  a  favorite  theme,  especially  in  his  morning 
discourses,  and  was  set  forth  with  a  clearness  of 
exposition,  and  an  accumulation  of  experimental 
and  Scriptural  evidence,  which  left  without  excuse 
any  one  who  had  not  entered  into  this  perfect  rest 
of  the  soul.  He  himself  lived  in  that  high  frame 
of  spiritual-mindedness,  attained  but  by  veiy  few, 


62  SKETCHES  OF  WESLEY  AN  PEEACHER8. 


in  wliich  he  could  employ,  with  perfect  truth,  the 
strong  language  of  the  poet, — 

"  'Tis  worse  than  death  my  God  to  love, 
And  not  my  God  alone." 

Tlie  reader  must  not  suppose  that  Mr.  Smith,  in 
insisting  upon  "  holiness  unto  the  Lord,"  indulged 
in  anything  like  imperiousness  or  exclusiveness : 
for  though  his  mind  was  of  a  remarkably  mascu- 
line character,  having  little  flexibility,  and  either 
disdained  the  minor  points  of  an  argument,  or  was 
incompetent  to  appreciate  or  expatiate  upon  them — 
contenting  itself  with  fastening  upon  conclusions 
rather  than  with  detailing  the  process  of  thought — 
the  preacher  seeming  to  find  his  authority  in  "  thus 
saith  the  Lord,"  and  demanding  a  hearing  on  that 
rather  than  on  any  other  ground  ;  yet  when  he 
spoke  of  perfect  love  and  a  clean  heart  he  was 
tender  and  encoiiraging  in  an  extraordinary  degree, 
thereby  affording  the  evidence  of  the  doctnnes  he 
taught,  and  giving  proof  that  entire  holiness  made 
its  possessor  "  like-minded  with  Christ ;"  tender 
and  compassionate  in  spirit  as  the  Redeemer  of 
souls.  The  first  part  of  the  sermon  consisted  prin- 
cipally of  textual  proof  of  the  doctrine,  and  was 
brief,  pointed,  and  unanswerable ;  then  followed  a 
concise  statement  of  the  nature  and  process  of 
"  entire  sanctification,"  and  the  means  of  its  attain- 
ment :  the  ground  thus  cleared,  he  next  showed  the 
necessity  and  blessedness  of  such  a  state  of  the 
affections,  and  encouraged  believers  to  plunge,  with- 
out doubting,  into  the  fathomless  depths  of  divine 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS.  53 

love.  And  novr  the  man  began  to  appear.  Pas- 
sionate remonstrance  with  the  lukewarm,  vehement 
expostulation  with  the  doubting,  irresistible  en- 
couragement to  those  who  were  seeking,  and  joy- 
ous exultation  and  sympathy  with  those  who  had 
obtained  the  second  deliverance,  alternately  fell  in 
torrents  from  his  lips ;  and  before  he  had  concluded 
his  discourse  a  holy  flame  was  kindled  through  the 
congregation,  the  house  was  filled  with  the  glory 
of  God,  and,  unable  longer  to  control  their  emo- 
tions or  restrain  the  buoyant  and  expanding  love 
which  filled  their  hearts,  one,  and  another,  and 
another,  and  others  yet  again,  broke  out  in  shouts 
of  "  Glorjr,"  and  "  Hallelujah,"  until  the  house 
rang  with  the  voice  of  joy  and  triumph  as  believer 
after  believer  entered  into  perfect  love.  It  was 
with  the  utmost  difficulty  that  the  congregation 
was  dismissed.  The  concluding  prayer  was  offered 
and  the  benediction  pronounced,  yet  a  few  only 
rose  from  their  knees.  Again  Mr.  Smith  engaged 
in  prayer  with  vehement  wrestling  ;  others  believed 
and  were  baptized  "  with  the  Holy  Spirit  and  with 
fire  sent  down  from  heaven."  For  awhile  it  seem- 
ed as  though  Christ  had  taken  unto  himself  his 
great  power,  and  was  about  to  assert  his  supremacy 
in  all  hearts ;  and  it  was  only  from  absolute  necessity, 
both  for  the  preacher's  sake  and  from  a  due  regard 
to  the  remaining  services  of  the  day,  that  at  length 
the  congregation  separated,  praising  God  and 
making  melody  in  their  hearts  as  they  went  to 
their  respective  homes. 


54  SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


At  the  prayer  meeting,  in  the  afternoon,  the 
chapel  was  again  crowded.  Mr.  Smith  was  at  his 
post,  engaging  in  prayer  some  seven  or  eight  times 
at  intervals  during  the  service,  each  time  ■vvTestling 
with  God  as  though  he  felt  that  the  salvation  of 
the  whole  congregation  depended  upon  an  imme- 
diate answer  to  his  suppUcations ;  and  between 
these  seasons  actively  engaged  in  encouraging  those 
who  were  seeking  for  pardon  or  holiness.  If  ever 
man  was  in  "  agony  of  prayer,"  or  wrestled  -with 
the  energy  of  Jacob  as  the  breaking  day  warned 
him  that  he  must  now  or  never  prevaO,  thus  ago- 
nized and  wrestled  Mr.  Smith  that  afternoon.  He 
was  a  man  mighty  in  prayer,  to  a  degree  that  has 
perhaps  never  been  surpassed  in  modem  times. 
Even  his  then  robust  and  muscular  frame  seemed 
scarcely  equal  to  the  earnest,  vehement  struggles  of 
his  soul.  Toward  the  close  of  the  meeting,  when 
penitents  were  crying  aloud  in  the  disquietude  of 
their  souls,  and  believers,  with  scarcely  less  agon)^ 
were  seeking  a  deeper  baptism  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
his  powerful  voice  might  still  be  heard  above  the 
blended  weeping  and  rejoicing,  calling  upon  God 
for  a  larger  blessing,  "  a  pentecostal  shower,"  pour- 
ing out  his  soul  on  behalf  of  the  broken  hearted, 
his  frame  now  positively  quivering  with  emotion, 
and  anon  his  benevolent  features  beaming  with 
grateful  joy  as  a  penitent's  mourning  was  tvuned 
into  joy,  or  a  beUever  received  the  grace  of  entire 
sanctification.  The  meeting  was  closed  at  an  ad- 
vanced hour,  barely  allowing  the  preacher  time  for 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS.  55 


refreshment  before  the  evening  service,  while  the 
majority  of  the  people  never  left  the  chapel,  but 
continued  in  prayer  and  supplication  during  the 
brief  interval. 

The  evening  sendee  partook  of  the  nature  of  the 
preceding  ones,  and  need  only  be  alluded  to  as  de- 
veloping another  phase  of  Mr.  Smith's  preaching — 
his  character  as  a  Boanerges.  He  must  have  been 
a  stout-hearted  sinner  -who  could  withstand  his  de- 
nunciations of  the  ungodly,  or  did  not  quail  be- 
neath his  representations  of  the  dinne  wrath 
against  all  unrighteousness  and  imgodliness  of  men, 
and  his  vindication  of  the  justice  of  God  in  the 
eternal  punishment  of  the  finally  impenitent.  The 
effect  of  that  evenmg's  sermon  was  overpowering ; 
not  so  much — and  the  remark  applies  to  his  preach- 
ing generally — from  the  employment  of  strong  lan- 
guage, as  from  the  thoroughly  masculine  and  con- 
secutive train  of  thought  with  which  it  was  im- 
pregnated from  the  beginning  to  the  end. 

The  defect  of  Mr.  Smith's  preaching,  if  defect  it 
could  be  called,  was  a  paucity  of  language,  a  too 
rigid  conciseness  of  expression,  and  condensation 
of  thought.  His  sermons  were  short,  not  because 
they  were  deficient  in  matter,  but  because  that  mat- 
ter was  compressed  into  the  smallest  compass  possi- 
ble; it  was  the  solid  gold,  rather  than  the  beaten 
leaf;  it  made  httle  show,  but  had  great  intrinsic  value. 
Such  were  his  views  of  the  lost  and  perishing  condi- 
tion of  the  world,  and  of  the  responsibihties  of  the 
ministerial  office — the  imperious  obligation  resting 


56  SKETCITES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


upon  the  ambassador  of  Christ  to  seek  only  to  recon- 
cile men  to  God — that  he  lost  sight  of  his  reputa- 
tion as  a  preacher  in  the  overwhelming  desire  to 
be  faithful  to  his  ambassadorial  trast.  It  was  re- 
marked, by  one  who  knew  him  well,  that  "  it  was 
from  no  inability  to  construct  a  regular  and  ex- 
panded discourse,  according  to  the  taste  and  prac- 
tice of  the  day,  that  he  confined  himself  to  the 
simple  but  fervid  and  impressive  style  which  he 
adopted.  At  the  commencement  of  his  ministerial 
career  his  sermons  were  more  elaborate,"  and  he 
was  induced  to  alter  his  plan  from  "  a  conviction 
that  thereby  the  great  end  of  preaching  would  be 
more  fully  accomplished.  The  change,  therefore, 
was  one  of  principle ;  and  for  the  sake  of  this  he 
was  content  to  forego  the  reputation  of  advantages 
which  even  the  spiritual  part  of  the  church  are  too 
apt  to  magnify  and  deem  indispensable,  and  to 
acqvdesce  willingly  in  being  thought  destitute  of 
talents  which  he  could  not  but  be  conscious  were 
in  his  power.  I  know  no  harder  lesson  which  hu- 
mility can  teach  or  self-denial  submit  to  learn." 

Let  it  not  be  supposed,  however,  that  there  was 
a  lack  of  order  or  system  in  Mr.  Smith's  sermons ; 
he  eschewed  all  adornment,  yet  he  studied  closely 
and  labored  assiduously  in  the  preparation  of  his 
pulpit  discourses,  especially  in  the  latter  years  of 
his  ministry,  but  his  study  was  to  do  without  what 
so  many  teachers  study  to  acquire.  Taking  suc- 
cess— the  conversion  of  sinners  and  the  building  up 
of  believers  in  their  holy  faith — as  the  criterion  by 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAX  PREACHEBS.  57 

which  the  comparative  excellence  of  the  two  modes 
of  procedure  are  to  be  judged,  the  verdict  must  be 
given  in  favor  of  Mr.  Smith  ;  and  to  him  the  reward 
will  he  given  at  the  last  day.  He  was  eminently- 
successful  in  the  awakening  of  those  who  had  been 
accustomed  to  sit  under  the  preached  gospel  for 
years  without  emotion.  One  of  this  class,  in  whose 
salvation  Mr.  Smith  was  instrumental,  observed 
that  he  had  long  been  accustomed  to  listen  to  a 
sermon  as  he  would  to  a  literary  essay  or  a  scienti- 
fic lecture,  but  that  Mr.  Smith's  preaching  he  could 
not  treat  thus — it  compelled  him  to  reflect — a  con- 
fession that  speaks  volumes  to  every  man  whom 
God  hath  "  coimted  faithful,  putting  him  into  the 
ministry." 

Tlie  subject  of  our  sketch  was  as  truly  a  "  preach- 
er of  righteousness"  out  of  the  pulpit  as  in  it. 
There  is  in  the  present  day  much  less  free  and  con- 
fiding conversation  among  professing  Christians  on 
the  subject  of  personal  experience  in  religion  than 
in  former  times.  This  evil  has  to  an  alarming  ex- 
tent crept  into  class  meetings,  where  it  was  origi- 
nally designed  that  nothing  but "  experience  "  should 
be  introduced  ;  instead  of  which,  general  statements 
of  religious  sentiments,  and  exhortations  to  the 
other  members,  are  now  the  order  of  the  day,  and 
the  leader,  learning  little  or  nothing  of  the  present 
spiritual  state  of  his  members,  is  of  necessity  com- 
pelled to  generahze  also.  They  who  in  the  privacy 
and  confidence  of  a  class  meeting  will  not  "  declare 
what  the  Lord  hath  done  for  their  souls,"  are  not 


58         SKETCHES  OF  'WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


likely  to  do  so  elsewhere,  and  the  evil  has  thus 
become  general.  It  was  Mr.  Smith's  fidelity  in 
this  branch  of  duty  that  made  his  intercourse  with 
the  members  productive  of  so  much  good.  No 
man  or  woman  could  be  long  in  his  company  with- 
out having  the  subject  brought  home,  though  it 
was  never  done  offensively,  rarely  abruptly,  and 
then  only  when  circumstances  fully  justified  it. 
Almost  numberless  instances  might  be  given  of 
the  good  resulting  from  his  faithfulness  in  this 
respect.  One  or  two  shall  be  related ;  many  others 
may  be  found  in  Mr.  Treffry's  Memoir ;  but,  until 
the  day  when  God  shall  number  up  his  jewels,  the 
half  will  not  be  told.  He  never  entered  a  dwelling 
— humble  cottage  or  stately  mansion  —  -vvithout 
leaving  the  savor  of  this  grace  behind.  The  fol- 
lovnng  is  strikingly  characteristic  of  the  man.  When 
dining  at  the  house  of  a  wealthy  member  of  the 
society,  a  lady  sat  next  to  him,  with  whom  he  en- 
tered into  conversation,  gradually  introducing  the 
subject  of  religion,  of  which  the  lady  was  known 
to  be  a  professor.  She  took  offense  at  his  inqui- 
ries, and  resented  them  Avith  some  asperity,  and 
in  a  manner  scarcely  becoming  her  sex  or  station 
in  society.  Mr.  Smith  waited  till  she  was  silent, 
then  casting  upon  her  a  look  of  ine^fpressiblc  and 
compassionate  concern,  he  said,  "  Madam,  you  may 
spit  in  my  face  if  you  please,  hut  you  cannot  pre- 
vent me  from  loving  yovr  soul."  The  arrow  en- 
tered :  the  words  proved  to  be  "  as  a  nail  fastened 
by  the  Master  of  assemblies." 


SKETCHES  OF  'WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  59 

When  he  visited  in  his  pastoral  character,  the 
effects  of  his  intercourse  with  the  people  were 
truly  wonderful.  Then  there  needed  no  circum- 
locution to  reach  the  object  nearest  to  his  heart, 
but,  waiving  all  other  subjects,  he  would  enter  at 
once  upon  his  beloved  theme;  and  having  by  a 
few  direct  inquiries  ascertained  the  spiritual  state 
of  each  member  of  the  family,  never  forgetting 
those  so  often  overlooked  in  pastoral  visitations, 
the  domestics,  Anglice,  servants,  he  would  know 
no  peace  until  in  answer  to  prayer  they  each  be- 
came assured  of  a  personal  interest  in  Christ,  and 
all  were  made 

"  Partners  of  like  precious  faith." 

Others  again,  in  their  distress  of  mind,  would 
visit  him  at  his  own  house ;  and  he  was  always  "  at 
home"  to  these,  taking  them  into  his  study,  coun- 
seling them,  and  praying  with  them  until  God 

"  set  their  souls  at  liberty 
By  his  victorious  love." 

Constant  communion  with  God  was  at  the  foun- 
dation of  Mr.  Smith's  great  usefulness.  In  this 
he  was  surpassed  by  none  of  any  age.  Whole 
nights  were  often  given  up  to  prayer,  and  always, 
when  in  anything  like  moderate  health — often  too 
when  wasted  by  painful  disease — he  arose  at  four 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  throwing  himself  be- 
fore the  mercy-seat,  for  tliree  hours  wrestled  with 
God  in  mighty  prayer.  The  writer  has  heard, 
from  persons  in  whose  houses  he  has  been  tempo- 


60         SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS. 

rarily  residing,  that  in  the  coldest  winter  morning 
they  have  heard  him  at  that  hoiir  with  suppressed 
voice  pleading  with  God,  while  his  groans  have 
revealed  the  intensity  of  his  feelings.  Immedi- 
ately after  breakfast  and  family  worship,  he  would 
again  retire  with  his  Bible  into  his  study,  and 
spend  until  near  noon  in  the  same  hallowed  em- 
ployment. Here  imquestionably  was  the  great 
secret  of  his  power  in  public  prayer  and  in  preach- 
ing— the  Lord,  who  seeth  in  secret,  rewarding 
him  openly.  Every  sermon  was  thus  sanctified 
by  prayer.  On  one  occasion,  when  at  a  country 
appointment,  the  time  for  commencing  the  service 
had  elapsed,  and  Mr.  Smith  did  not  make  his  ap- 
pearance. He  had  left  the  house  where  he  was  a 
guest,  about  half  an  hour  before,  after  being  some 
time  in  his  closet.  At  length  he  was  found  in  an 
adjoining  bam  wrestling  in  prayer  for  a  bless- 
ing upon  the  approaching  ser\'ice  ;  having  retired 
thither  that  unobserved  he  might  pour  out  his  full 
soul  before  his  heavenly  Father.  He  arose,  briefly 
expressed  his  regret  at  not  having  observed  the 
lapse  of  time,  and  on  the  way  to  the  chapel  re- 
lapsed into  silent  prayer. 

During  the  sermon  that  evening  the  fervent 
prayer  of  the  righteous  man  proved  effectual.  The 
Spirit  of  God  descended  upon  the  congregation ; 
the  deep  attentive  silence  observed  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  discourse  was  soon  interrupted 
by  sobs  and  moans,  and  these  ere  long  were  fol- 
lowed by  loud  and  piercing  cries  for  mercy,  as,  one 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  61 

after  another,  the  hearers  were  pricked  to  the 
heart,  and  the  strongholds  of  Satan  were  beaten 
down,  until,  so  universal  was  the  cry  of  the  broken- 
hearted, that  jMr.  Smith  found  it  necessary  to  de- 
sist from  preaching  and  descend  into  the  altar.  As 
he  had  continued  his  discourse  for  some  time  after 
its  remarkable  effects  first  showed  themselves, 
there  was  considerable  confusion  for  want  of  a 
leading  and  controlling  spirit,  and  the  disorder 
was  rapidly  increasing ;  but  when  he  descended 
from  the  pulpit  and  took  charge  of  the  meeting, 
his  admirable  plans  and  great  influence,  aided  by 
a  voice  almost  equal  to  the  roar  of  thunder,  soon 
wi-ought  a  change,  and  in  perfect  order,  though 
not  in  silence,  the  meetmg,  was  continued  until 
midnight.  Wliatever  apparent  confusion  there 
might  be  in  these  meetings,  they  were,  actually, 
conducted  systematically.  Mr.  Smith  had  his 
method  amid  all  the  surrounding  excitement,  and 
he  never  delegated  the  control  to  another,  but  was 
the  last  to  retire  from  the  scene  of  the  Redeemer's 
triumphs. 

An  anecdote  was  related  in  the  hearing  of  the 
writer  by  Rev.  James  Methley,  and  is  also  mentioned 
by  Mr.  Treffry,  which  annihilated  in  the  minds  of  all 
who  heard  it  whatever  feelings  were  entertained 
adverse  to  the  course  adopted  by  this  holy  man. 
While  he  was  stationed  in  the  Windsor  circuit,  he 
was  attending  an  anniversary  at  Canterbury,  where 
his  friend  and  schoolfellow,  Mr.  Methley,  was  sta- 
tioned.    At  this  time  Mr.  Smith's  labors  were 


62  SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

almost  superliuman,  and  his  constitution  was  mani- 
festly giving  way  under  them.  It  was  resolved 
by  his  brethren,  that  he  should  be  affectionately 
remonstrated  with,  and  Mr.  Methley  was  deputed 
to  introduce  the  subject.  At  the  supper  table  a 
favorable  opportunity  presented  itself,  and  Mr. 
Methley  opened  the  matter  to  him.  The  friend- 
ship between  them  was  strong  and  ardent ;  they 
were  both  men  of  noble,  generous  natures.  Mr. 
Smith  laid  down  his  knife  and  fork,  and  listened  to 
his  friend  with  affectionate  respect ;  then,  bursting 
into  tears,  he  rephed,  "  I  know  it  all.  I  ought  to 
put  a  restraint  upon  myself.  But  what  can  I  do  ? 
God  has  given  me  such  a  view  of  the  perishing 
condition  of  sinners  that  I  can  only  find  rchef  in 
the  way  I  do— in  entreating  them  to  come  to  Christ, 
and  wresthng  with  God  to  save  them."  And 
then,  his  feelings  overcoming  him,  he  paused  a 
few  moments,  and  added,  "  Look  around  you,  my 
dear  friend  and  brother ;  do  you  not  see  sinners 
perishing  on  every  hand,  and  must  they  not  be 
saved  ?  0  do  not  seek  to  turn  me  from  my  pur- 
pose ;  for  while  I  thus  see  and  feel,  I  am  compelled 
to  act  as  I  do."  All  were  silenced,  and  all  were 
melted  into  tears ; — Mr.  Methley  being  so  over- 
come that  he  was  compelled  abruptly  to  leave  the 
room.  "  Never,"  said  Mr.  M.,  his  eyes  filling  with 
tears  at  the  recollection ;  "  never  shall  I  forget  that 
evening.  Often  Avas  I  applied  to  afterward,  as 
known  to  be  his  friend,  to  use  my  influence  to  ar- 
rest his  self-sacrifice ;  but  I  could  not  do  it ;  my 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  63 

mouth  was  closed ;  I  dared  not  say  a  word ;  the 
expression  of  his  countenance  that  evening  re- 
mains with  me  to  this  day." 

Mr.  Smith's  personal  appearance  is  not  easily 
described.  To  the  last,  though  mixing  with  the 
best  society,  he  retained  much  of  his  rustic  ap- 
pearance. His  countenance  was  oval,  very  slightly 
elongated.  The  features  were  firmly  set,  rarely 
changing  except  under  strong  emotion ;  yet  the 
expression  of  his  countenance  underwent  frequent 
and  rapid  variations,  and  these  variations  baffle 
description.  Sometimes  the  niling  sentiment — as 
joy,  grief,  pity,  sympathy — would  seem  to  b^  dif- 
fused over  the  surface  of  the  countenance,  irradiat- 
ing the  whole  face;  and  again  it  would  linger 
about  the  lips  and  eyes  only.  The  general  ex- 
pression, or  the  repose,  was  a  union  of  guilelessness, 
benevolence,  and  decision.  The  hair  was  brown : 
Avhiskers  inclining  to  sandy,  and  trimmed  close. 
His  height  was  about  five  feet  ten  or  eleven  inches ; 
his  frame  firmly  knit,  and  muscular,  and  manifestly 
capable,  with  ordinary  prudence,  of  severe  and 
long-continued  labor,  though  the  neck  Avas  a  little 
too  long,  and  the  shoulders  rather  narrow.  Judg- 
ing by  the  Scripture  rule  of  reward  hereafter  to 
those  who  have  turned  many  to  righteousness,  his 
glorified  body  will  shine  with  unwonted  lustre  in 
the  city  that  hath  foundations,  whose  builder  and 
maker  is  God. 


64 


SKETCHES  OF  VTESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


lol)n  Comas. 

"  Thy  words  had  such  a  melting  flow, 
And  spoke  of  truth  so  sweetly  well, 
They  dropp'd  like  Heaven's  serenest  snow, 
And  all  was  brightness  where  they  fell." 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  (who  is  a  son  of  the 
late  Rev.  Robert  Lomas,  many  years  "  Book  Stew- 
ard ")  must  be  nearly  fifty  years  of  age,  as  he  en- 
tered the  ministry  in  1820,  and  I  presimie  was 
then  twenty-one  or  twenty-two  years  old.  For 
many  years  he  has  been  all  but  totally  blind ;  for 
which  reason,  as  some  suppose,  he  has  remained  a 
bachelor.  Another  reason,  however,  having  more 
to  do  with  the  heart  than  the  eyes,  has  been  as- 
signed for  his  continuance  in  a  state  of  "  single 
blessedness,"  if  there  be  any  blessedness  in  such 
solitude  of  the  affections.  He  is  always  stationed, 
notwithstanding  his  singleness,  as  a  married  man, 
a  beloved  and  devoted  sister  acting  as  his  house- 
keeper. The  comfort  and  quiet  of  a  home  are  ne- 
cessary for  him :  his  sensitive  natm-e  would  shrink 
from  being  burdensome  to  strangers,  or  even  friends. 
Warm  and  generous,  and  remarkably  sociable,  his 
mind  is  nevertheless  delicately  constructed,  and  he 
is  occasionally  subject  to  great  mental  depression. 

In  the  hope  of  recovering  his  eyesight  he  has 
submitted  to  remedial  operations  :  in  one  instance 
with  partial,  but,  alas !  only  temporary,  benefit. 
But  for  this  deprivation  of  the  most  important  inlet 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  66 

of  knowledge,  be  would  probably  have  outstripped 
his  contemporaries  in  his  favorite  studies — theology 
and  mental  and  intellectual  philosophy.  Even  with 
this  serious  disadvantage  he  takes  high  rank  as  a 
preacher,  and  is  a  "workman  that  needeth  not  to 
be  ashamed."  He  possesses  brilliant  wit,  (never 
employed  otherwise  than  playfully,)  the  scintilla- 
tions of  which  add  an  indescribable  charm  to  his 
social  converse  and  his  platform  addresses. 

The  Avriter  first  saw  and  heard  Mr.  Lomas  at  a 
missionary  meeting  in  Bridgewater-street  Chapel, 
Manchester,  some  ten  or  eleven  years  ago.  His 
personal  appearance  was  prepossessing.  He  is 
about  five  feet  six  inches  in  height;  of  fair  com- 
plexion ;  the  eyebrows,  and  still  more  so  the  eye- 
lashes, very  light  colored  ;  the  head  massive,  and 
at  that  time  well  covered  with  hair  a  few  shades 
darker  than  flaxen.  A  pleasant  smile  played  around 
the  mouth ;  the  face  was  round  rather  than  full, 
though  at  a  later  period  it  had  assvmied  the  latter 
character,  with  strongly  defined  lines.  The  frame, 
for  its  height,  was  broad,  but  compact ;  his  voice 
not  strong,  but  clear  and  musical ;  and  his  utter- 
ance slow  and  syllabic  at  the  commencement  of  his 
address.  This  syllabic  utterance  is  carried  to  excess 
when  he  reads  the  hymns  in  public  worship,  and 
was  probably  first  acquired  when  his  sight  began 
to  fail. 

Mr.  Lomas's  favorite  mode  of  opening  an  address 
at  a  missionary  meeting,  or  on  any  similar  occasion, 
is  by  some  brief  remarks — a  sort  of  running  com- 
5 


66  SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS!. 

mentary — ^upon  the  sentiments  or  personal  charac- 
teristics of  preceding  speakers  ;  often  bringing  his 
wit  pleasantly  into  play,  but  never  wounding  the 
feelings  or  detracting  from  the  excellences  of  his 
brethren.  The  meeting  to  which  I  have  referred 
was  exceedingly  favorable  to  this  kind  of  pleasantry, 
on  account  of  the  great  diversity  of  gifts  possessed 
by  those  who  had  spoken  before  Mr.  L.  It  was 
presided  over  by  a  layman,  a  wealthy,  liberal,  and 
influential  member  of  the  Methodist  Society,  of  a 
warm  and  generous  nature,  blessed  with  good 
sense,  and  distinguished  by  piety  at  once  ardent 
and  practical.  He  opened  the  meeting  in  a  short 
and  lively  address ;  and  was  followed  in  highly 
characteristic  speeches  by  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Robert 
Wood,  George  Steward,  Philip  Garrett,  and  Fred- 
erick J.  Jobson. 

The  Rev.  Robert  Wood  is  introduced  to  the 
reader  in  another  part  of  this  volmne. 

The  Rev.  George  Steward  is  in  my  judgment, 
and  I  have  heard  leading  ministers  and  laymen  in 
the  connection  express  the  same  opinion,  one  of 
the  greatest  men,  intellectually,  in  the  Engli.sh 
Wesleyan  ministry  at  the  present  day.  Unfortu- 
nately he  labors  imder  physical  disadvantages 
which  becloud  to  the  popular  view  his  great  pow- 
ers. He  is  a  prey  to  super-sensibility ;  timid ; 
awkard  in  his  manner,  both  in  the  pulpit  and  on 
the  platfonn — in  the  latter  case  excessively  so ; 
and  sometimes  labors  under  such  oppression  from 
nervousness,  (or  at  one  time  did,)  that  only  strong 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN'  PREACHERS.  67 

principle,  and  a  conviction  of  duty,  enabled  him  to 
appear  before  the  people  in  the  discharge  of  his 
ministrj^  But  he  has  a  heart  full  of  the  tenderest 
sympathies  and  the  kindest  affections.  When  he 
is  in  a  happy  mood,  it  is  perfect  enjoyment,  re- 
ligiously and  intellectually,  to  listen  to  him.  He 
pours  forth  an  overwhelming  torrent  of  eloquence, 
richly  impregnated  with  the  marrow  and  fatness 
of  gospel  truth.  Strength  and  range  of  thought, 
and  majesty  of  diction,  distinguish  all  his  best  efforts. 
An  intelhgcnt  friend,  familiar  with  the  ministry  of 
the  late  Rev.  Robert  Hall,  observed  to  me  that  in 
many  respects  Mr.  Steward  resembled  him ;  and 
he  knew  not  to  which  to  yield  the  palm  when  each 
was  in  his  happiest  vein. 

The  Rev.  Philip  Garrett,  since  deceased,  was 
of  another  mold.  He  was  remarkable  for  strong 
common  sense,  and  a  sterling  frankness  of  character 
which  disdained  the  least  approach  to  affectation, 
and  scorned  subterfuge  or  concealment  of  any 
kind.  To  these  he  was  an  uncompromising  foe ; 
and,  however  plausibly  an  excuse  or  a  sophism 
might  be  presented,  could  readily  distinguish  the 
real  from  the  assigned  motive.  Some  idea  of  Mr. 
Garrett's  character  may  be  gathered  from  the  fol- 
lowing anecdote.  At  a  certain  district  meeting, 
nearly  every  preacher  requested  permission  to  at- 
tend the  Conference,  which  was  that  year  to  be 
held  in  London,  and  gave  his  reasons  in  support 
of  his  request.  (Here  it  may  be  observed,  that,  as 
the  circuit  system  imiversally  prevails  in  England, 


68  SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

all  the  preachers  are  not  permitted  to  attend  the 
Conference ;  it  being  deemed  prejudicial  to  the 
interests  of  the  societies  to  leave  them  without  a 
ministry  and  pastoral  oversight  for  the  three  weeks 
during  which  the  Conference  is  in  session.)  Some 
of  the  reasons  were  so  frivolous  that  Mr.  Garrett, 
who  had  not  asked  permission,  could  no  longer 
silently  hsten  to  them.  Springing  to  his  feet,  he 
exclaimed,  in  a  tone  of  voice  that  startled  all  into 
silence,  and  effectually  secured  the  attention  of  the 
chairman,  "  Sir,  /  claim  to  go  to  Conference.  I 
am  an  older  man  than  many  whose  claims  have 
been  allowed.  But  that  I  do  not  press.  I  have 
another  reason,  as  good  as  nine-tenths  of  those 
that  have  already  been  urged.  Sir,  I  must  go  to 
Conference,  because — /  want  to  set  ray  watch  hy 
St.  PauVsT  Of  course  the  speaker's  meaning  was 
easily  understood ;  and  there  was  a  remarkable 
scarcity  of  frivolous  representations  on  that  subject 
during  the  remainder  of  the  session. 

Mr.  Gan-ett,  though  a  self-taught  man,  (he  was 
a  ship-carpenter  before  he  entered  the  ministry,) 
was  a  sound  theologian,  and  had  acquired  con- 
siderable proficiency  in  many  branches  of  know- 
ledge. Astronomy  was  his  favorite  study ;  and  in 
that  science  his  attainments  were  great.  He  was 
an  intimate  friend  of  Dr.  Adam  Clarke,  and  as- 
sisted in  the  preparation  of  some  of  the  valuable 
tables  which  emich  that  great  man's  Commentary. 
Though  by  no  means  an  elegant  speaker,  he  always 
employed  terse  and  forcible  language ;  was  an  ac- 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  69 

ceptable  and  useful,  and,  to  some  extent,  a  popular 
preacher ;  and  was  a  bold  and  vigorous  thinker. 
He  often  availed  himself,  as  at  this  meeting,  of  his 
astronomical  knowledge  with  happy  effect. 

The  Rev.  Frederick  J.  Jobson  differed  greatly 
from  each  of  the  others.  He  was  then  qmte  a 
young  man,  in  the  first  or  second  year  of  his  itine- 
rancy, full  of  zeal,  and  exceedingly  popular,  for  his 
brilliant  genius  flashed  light  upon  every  subject  he 
discussed.  At  that  time  he  spoke  with  astonishing 
rapidity,  his  ^nvid  imagination  and  full  heart  sup- 
plying him  with  more  matter  than  his  tongue  could 
utter ;  and  it  was  not  an  unusual  thing  for  him, 
solely  from  the  vehement,  impetuous  rush  of  his 
overwrought  feelings,  to  be  completely  embarrassed 
and  compelled  to  resume  his  seat  without  finishing 
his  address.  It  was  so  on  this  occasion.  His  ex- 
cited feelings  mastered  him ;  the  steed  ran  away, 
fire  flashed  from  its  nostrils,  and  in  the  attempt  to 
ciu-b  him  the  rider  was  thrown.  Mr.  Jobson  re- 
tains his  popularity  to  this  day,  and  "  much  speak- 
ing "  has  given  him  more  perfect  self-control. 

Here,  then,  Mr.  Lomas  found  material  for  his 
favorite  mode  of  introduction.  He  commenced  by 
saying  that  the  meetmg  had  assumed  a  decidedly 
sectarian  character ;  that  any  person  who  had  been 
listening  at  the  door  while  his  brethren  were  speak- 
ing would  unavoidably  conclude,  "  0  !  that  is  a 
Methodist  meeting."  If  the  listener  knew  any- 
thing about  the  distinctive  features  of  Methodism, 
he  could  not  come  to  any  other  conclusion.  He 


VO  SKETCHES  OP  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


(the  speaker)  must  be  frank  enough  to  say  it,  the 
meeting  had  imdeniably  been  strongly  marked  by 
sectarian  features. 

The  preceding  speakers  began  to  look  a  httle 
uncomfortable,  and  to  exchange  glances,  a  state 
of  things  which,  though,  alas !  he  saw  it  not,  Mr. 
Lomas  well  knew  would  be  excited ;  for  sectarian- 
ism, as  the  terra  is  usually  understood,  was  about 
the  last  sin  of  which  those  men  could  be  rightfully 
accused — they  were  men  of  large  and  liberal  hearts. 
After  thus  teazing  them  for  a  few  seconds,  the  arch 
expression  of  his  countenance  being  seen  only  by 
the  congregation,  for  to  them  his  face  was  turned, 
he  proceeded  in  a  strain  of  li\  ely,  sparkling  wit, 
which  memory  will  not  enable  me  to  transfer  to  paper 
at  this  distance  of  time,  to  give  his  reasons  for  call- 
ing it  a  sectarian  meeting.  These  were  that  each 
speaker  represented  some  characteristic  peculiarity 
of  Methodism.  As,  for  instance,  the  hearty  co- 
operation of  intelligent  laymen  with  the  duly  ap- 
pointed ministry,  was  seen  in  the  person  of  the 
chairman  ;  method  and  careful  calculation,  the  well- 
weighed  adaptation  of  means  to  the  end,  were 
shown  in  the  style  and  matter  of  Mr.  Wood's  ad- 
dress ;  great  conceptions  and  the  enunciation  of 
mighty  principles,  in  the  address  of  Mr.  Steward ; 
genius,  self-tuition,  and  the  "  pursuit  of  knowledge 
Tmder  difficulties,"  were  chai'acteristics  exhibited 
by  Mr.  Garrett ;  while,  continued  Mr.  Lomas,  "  all 
acknowledge,  both  foes  and  friends,  that  Method- 
ism is  remarkable  for  zeal,  and  certainly  that  feature 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS.  Yl 

was  represented  most  fully  by  my  friend  Mr.  Job- 
son,  who  is  a  very  living  bonfire.''  The  hit  was 
so  palpable  that  the  soubriquet  of  "  the  living  bon- 
fire "  was  Mr.  Jobson's  distinction  so  long  as  he 
remamed  in  the  circuit. 

Mr.  Lomas  here  found  a  theme  for  the  beautiful 
and  soul-stirring  address  which  followed.  After 
acknowledging  that  some  of  the  sparks  from  his 
brother's  fire  had  fallen  upon  his  own  heart,  and 
enkindled  anew  the  love  for  souls  that  he  trusted 
would  ever  bum  there,  he  dwelt  witli  inimitable 
sweetness  upon  the  nature  and  effects  of  true 
Christian  zeal,  showed  that  it  was  at  the  founda- 
tion of  all  God-approved  missionary  efforts,  and, 
rightly  governed  and  directed,  was  the  measm-e 
and  guaranty  of  all  success  in  the  conversion  of  the 
world  to  God.  Many  a  smoldering  fire  was  that 
night  fanned  into  a  flame,  and  many  a  wearied, 
fainting  soldier  of  the  cross  agahi  buckled  on  liis 
armor,  seized  with  firmer  grasp  the  sword  of  the 
Spirit  and  the  shield  of  faith,  and  resolved,  heartily- 
and  for  life,  to  co-operate  in  the  subjugation  of  the 
world  to  Christ. 

Some  years  subsequently  I  heard  Mr.  Lomas 
preach  twice  on  the  sabbath-day.  The  subject  of 
the  morning  discourse  was  the  twenty-third  Psalm. 
The  sermon  was  truly  a  "  feast  of  fat  things,  of 
wine  on  the  lees,  well  refined."  It  was  emphati- 
cally, what  at  least  every  Sunday  morning  dis- 
course should  be,  food  for  the  soul — "  the  bread  of 
life  sent  down  from  heaven,"  meted  out  by  God's 


12  SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


almoner,  with  wise  liberality,  and  with  a  depth  of 
feeling  that  seemed  to  say,  "/have  eaten  thereof, 
and  know  that  it  is  sweet."  It  appeared  as  though 
the  preacher  had  for  a  lifetime  mused  upon  the 
Psalm  in  the  solitude  of  his  partial  darkness,  until 
to  his  faith's  interior  eye  every  sentence  beamed 
with  light,  and  to  his  gladdened  heart  each  word 
became  instinct  with  power  and  strong  consolation. 
Perfect  as  the  discourse  was  in  all  its  parts,  and,  as 
a  whole,  it  appeared  less  a  sermon  than  the  over- 
flow of  an  exhaustless  fountain  ;  the  welling  up  of 
streams  of  grace  and  truth  from  the  depths  of  a 
heart  upon  which  shone,  uninterruptedly,  the  sun- 
light of  Jehovah's  countenance ;  and  the  devout 
hearer,  losing  sight  of  the  preacher,  because  the 
preacher  had  lost  sight  of  himself,  received  those 
streams  into  his  heart,  as  flowing  directly  from  the 
throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb  :  they  were  to  him 
as  the  "  pure  river  of  the  water  of  life,  clear  as 
crystal,"  and  refreshing  to  liis  soul.  Or  further  to 
illustrate  the  impression  (varied,  as  the  preacher 
proceeded)  made  by  that  sermon,  it  seemed  as 
though  each  sentence  of  his  text  was  a  beautiful 
and  lustrous  casket,  within  which  were  jewels, 
gleaming  with  intensest  brilliancy  as  the  man  of 
God  unlocked  the  casket  and  for  a  moment  held 
them  up  before  the  people,  and  spoke  of  tlieir 
worth  ;  and  anon  emitting  countless  rays  of  ineffa- 
ble brightness  and  glory  as  he  scattered  them 
among  the  people,  saying,  in  eff"ect,  "  All  are  yours, 
for  ye  are  Christ's,  and  Christ  is  God's." 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS.  73 


The  sermon  was  full,  from  first  to  last,  of  ex- 
perimental religion.  It  was  evident  that  from  the 
fullness  of  the  heart  the  mouth  spake.  The  former 
part  of  tlie  discourse  was  expository,  the  preacher 
taking  up  the  verses  seriatim,  and  musing  aloud — 
I  had  almost  said,  so  httle  effort  seemed  necessary — 
on  the  richness  and  force  of  the  Psalmist's  language. 
Having  thus  passed  through  the  whole  Psalm,  he 
recommenced  with  the  first  verse  and  treated  it 
topically,  showing  that  it  gave  to  the  behever  as- 
surance of  protection,  supply,  peace,  guidance, 
abundance,  ultimate  triumph,  and  everlasting  glory ; 
and  finally  pressed  upon  his  hearers  the  cultiva- 
tion of  that  faith  and  those  holy  sentiments  which 
had  prompted  the  Psalmist  to  the  fervent  and  glad 
expressions  contained  in  the  Psalm.  Yet  there 
was  no  tautology — all  was  freshness  and  force ; 
and  the  language,  as  is  always  the  case,  both  in  his 
sermons  and  speeches,  eminently  chaste  and  beau- 
tiful. The  great  charms  of  Mr.  Lomas's  preaching 
are  the  chaste  simplicity  of  his  style,  and  the  fresh- 
ness which  he  always  imparts  to  any  subject  he 
takes  up.  He  is  never  common-place,  though  his 
discourses  are  generally  upon  practical  and  experi- 
mental subjects.  Another  remarkable  beauty  of 
his  style  is  his  felicitous  imagery,  rarely  elaborately 
wrought  out,  but  merely  introduced  for  illustra- 
tion's sake.  Playing  upon  the  word  "dtvell,"  in 
the  last  verse  of  the  Psalm,  he  observed,  "  Here 
we  live  in  tents,  the  poles  of  which  are  set  in  sand, 
ever  shifting  and  clianging,  but  there  we  shall  dwell 


74  SKETCHES  OF  'WKSLETAN  PREACHERS. 

in  the  house  of  the  Lord  for  ever,"  &c.  His  whole 
sermon  was  luminous  with  such  gems,  at  once 
sparkling  and  profitable,  because,  by  their  exceed- 
ing appositeness  as  illustrations,  they  secured  a 
permanent  lodgment  in  the  hearer's  mind. 

The  evening  discourse,  the  text  of  which  I  can- 
not now  recollect,  was  of  a  different,  and,  intellect- 
ually, a  higher  order.  The  subject  was  some 
branch  of  moral  duty.  The  man  who  in  the  morn- 
ing was  calm,  contemplative,  and  winning,  sprink- 
ling the  garden  of  the  Lord  with  the  sweet  pellucid 
waters  of  consolation,  was  now  vehement  and  tower- 
ing with  the  majesty  of  his  theme,  breaking  through 
the  subterfuges  of  the  infidel,  and  appeaUng  witli 
resistless  energy  to  the  heart,  while  he  made  his 
whole  subject  clear  and  incontrovertible  to  the  in- 
tellect of  those  who  heard  him.  Rarely  have  I 
known  such  impressive  stillness — the  deep  atten- 
tion of  awakened  interest  rather  than  the  intense 
silence  of  excited  feeling — as  attended  the  de- 
livery of  that  sermon.  Men  seemed  miwilling  to 
lose  an  idea  or  even  a  Avord,  so  essential  to  the 
completeness  of  the  whole  seemed  the  minutest  de- 
tails. 

Since  then  I  have  occasionally  heard  Mr.  Lomas, 
always  with  pleasure  and  profit :  but  it  is  not  ne- 
cessary that  I  should  further  dwell  upon  his  style. 
By  his  brethren  in  the  ministry  he  is  highly  esteem- 
ed, and  in  private  hfe  justly  admired.  In  his  social 
intercourse  few  are  more  pleasing  and  engaging. 
All  his  friends  love  him.    His  sociability  and  cheer- 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  75 

fulness,  in  spite  of  his  calamity,  bind  all  hearts  to 
him.  As  "  a  wise  traveler,  he  goeth  on  cheerily ; 
he  knoweth  that  his  journey  must  be  sped,  so  he 
carrieth  his  sunshine  -vvith  him."  To  him  "  sliarp 
suspicion,  dull  distrust,  and  sullen,  stem  morose- 
ness,"  arc  unknown.  The  lamented  Fisk  and  he 
were  wont  to  indulge  in  intellectual  conversational 
gladiatorship  on  subjects  on  which  Englishmen  do 
not  think  as  Americans  do,  always  pleasantly  and 
to  the  delight  of  those  who  heard  them.  Doubt- 
less when  Mr.  Lomas  shall  have  passed  over  the 
narrow  stream  that  now  divides  them,  they  will 
converse  in  even  sweeter  strains  upon  that  essential 
truth  on  which  they  thought  alike ;  they  shall  talk 
of  Him  who  redeemed  them,  and  dwell  in  the 
brightness  of  his  glory  for  ever  and  ever. 


78 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS. 


fli£l)arlr  Heccc. 

"  Behold  a  patriarch  of  years,  who  leaneth  on  the  staff  of  religion, 
His  heart  is  flesh,  quick  to  feel ;      *        *        *  ♦ 
Lofty  aspirations,  deep  affections,  holy  hopes,  are  his  delight." 

Proverbial  Philosophy. 

This  gentleman  will  probably  be  remembered  by 
American  Methodists  as  one  of  the  delegates  in 
1824,  (Mr.,  now  Dr.,  Hannah,  being  his  colleague,) 
from  the  British  Conference  to  the  General  Confer- 
ence of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  He  be- 
came a  supernumerary  at  the  Conference  of  1846 ; 
prior  to  when  be  was  not  only  the  oldest  effective 
preacher  among  the  EngUsh  Wesleyans,  but  also 
the  oldest  Methodist  preacher  in  full  and  regular 
itinerancy  in  the  world.*  At  the  time  of  his  re- 
tirement from  the  itinerancy  there  were  still  living 
four  who  became  traveling  preachers  before  he 
was  called  out,  and  two  who  entered  upon  the 
work  in  the  same  year  with  him,  but  these  were 
all  superannuated  before  1846.  One  could  easily 
imagine  Mr.  Reece's  personal  appearance  to  re- 
semble strongly  that  of  the  ancient  patriarchs — a 
lovely  blending  of  beauty,  authority,  and  courtesy 

*  Mr.  Reece  traveled,  without  interruption,  for  a  longer  period 
than  any  other  Methodist  preacher — no  less  than  fifty-nine  years. 
Those  who  came  nearest  to  him  in  the  duration  of  their  itinerant 
labors  were  Thomas  Taylor  of  the  British  Conference,  and  George 
Pickering  of  the  New-England  Conference,  each  of  whom  com- 
pleted fifty-six  years.  The  next  longest  is  Richard  Waddy  of  the 
British  Conference,  who  was  an  effective  preacher  fifty-three  years. 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  77 


— tall,  ruddy-complexioned,  and  locks  white  as 
snow.  His  entire  carriage  is  very  dignified,  and 
he  is  not  always  accessible.  He  has  a  high  sense 
of  personal  honor,  exacts  all  the  respect  due  to  his 
years,  and  is  warm  to  resent  a  personal  insult,  or 
even  an  undue  famiUarity.  A  proof  of  this  oc- 
curred at  the  Assizes  held  in  the  city  of  York. 
Mr.  Reece's  house  was  entered  by  a  thief  on  a 
Sunday  evening  during  the  hours  of  divine  service 
which  Mr.  Reece  was  conducting.  His  eldest 
daughter,  being  shghtly  indisposed,  remained  at 
home,  and,  hearing  the  robber  in  the  lower  part  of 
the  house,  courageously  went  down  stairs.  At 
the  sight  of  her  the  depredator  fled,  not,  however, 
before  Miss  Reece  had  obtained  a  full  \'iew  of  his 
person.  Of  course  her  testimony  was  all-import- 
ant to  the  conviction  of  the  offender,  and  it  was 
the  object  of  the  coimsel  for  the  defense  to  break 
it  dovm,  or  throw  doubt  upon  it,  if  possible.  This 
"  duty"  devolved  upon  the  then  j\fr.  Scarlett,  who 
perceinng  at  a  glance  that  Miss  Reece's  appear- 
ance in  so  pubhc  a  manner  was  distressing  to  her, 
probably  thought  that  by  adding  to  her  annoyance 
he  could  so  disconcert  her  as  to  make  her  give 
contradictory,  or  at  least  imperfect,  testimony. 
Fixing  his  gaze  rudely  upon  her  for  some  minutes, 
he  abruptly  asked, 

"  You  are  the  daughter  of  a  Methodist  parson, 
I  believe  ?" 

Witness.  I  am  the  daughter  of  a  Methodist 
preacher,  sir. 


78         SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

Counsel.  Was  there  much  money  in  the  house 
to  your  knowledge  ? 

Witness.  There  was  the  amount  of  two  collec- 
tions, morning  and  afternoon,  left  there  for  conve- 
nience by  the  stewards  until  Monday. 

Counsel.  Were  you  alone  [with  emphasis]  the 
whole  of  that  evening  ? 

Witness.  I  was,  sir. 

Counsel.  Remember  you  are  upon  your  oath, 
Miss  Reece.  Are  you  quite  sure  that  you  admit- 
ted no  young  man  into  the  house  after  the  family 
went  to  chapel  ?    Why  were  you  up  stairs  ? 

There  was  a  moment  of  stillness  in  the  com-t — 
for  all  felt  that  the  counsel  had  committed  a  gross 
outrage — it  was  but  a  moment,  however,  and  while 
the  witness  was  yet  bewildered  by  the  insulting 
question,  her  venerable  father,  who  sat  near  the 
counsel's  table,  arose,  and  stretching  his  imposing 
figure  to  its  full  height  of  six  feet,  his  frame  ex- 
panding Avith  offended  pride,  addressed  first  the 
judge,  claiming  for  his  daughter  the  protection  of 
the  bench,  and  then  administered  to  Mr.  Scarlett 
one  of  the  most  Avithering  rebukes  perhaps  ever 
openly  received  by  any  man.  The  judge,  struck 
vnth  the  commanding  mien  and  venerable  appear- 
ance of  the  speaker,  did  not  even  attempt  to  put 
a  stop  to  such  an  unusual  proceeding  ;  and  when 
Mr.  Reece,  by  the  allusion  to  his  daughter,  revealed 
his  relationship  to  the  witness,  there  was  a  general 
murmur  of  approbation.  When  he  had  concluded, 
the  judge,  imbibing  more  than  English  judges  are 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


79 


wont  to  do,  the  general  sentiment,  severely  animad- 
verted upon  the  outrage,  and  Mr.  Scarlett  was 
compelled  to  apologize  for  "  any  indiscretion  into 
which  zeal  for  his  cUent  might  have  led  him." 

The  author  of  the  "Centenary  Takings"  has 
tacked  on  to  his  brief  notice  of  Mr.  Reece,  as  the 
Scriptural  motto  which  he  seems  to  think  neces- 
sary for  the  completion  of  each  of  his  portraits, 
the  significant  passage,  "  /  magnify  mine  office.'" 
It  is  a  fair  hit,  it  must  be  confessed.  The  reverend 
gentleman  places  the  standard  of  ministerial  au- 
thority very  high,  but  then  he  takes  equally  high 
views  of  its  responsibilities  and  duties.  In  late 
years  the  yoimg  men  who  are  placed  under  his 
superintendency  have  complained  that  he  exacts 
from  them  the  full  tale  of  labor.  Possibly  he  holds 
an  opinion,  which  the  old  preachers  are  apt  to  en- 
tertain, that  the  present  generation  of  ministers 
are  not  so  laborious  as  then-  fathers  were,  and  he 
may  wish  to  teach  his  young  colleagues  in  a  better 
school.  Throughout  his  protracted  life  he  has 
maintained  an  irreproachable  reputation  and  good 
rank  as  a  preacher.  In  1816  he  was  elected  pre- 
sident of  the  Conference  by  a  very  large  vote. 
Few  ministers,  of  any  denomination,  have  so  hap- 
pily combined  the  courtesy  of  the  Christian  gen- 
tleman with  the  fidelity  of  the  Christian  pastor ; 
and  none  have  in  a  more  eminent  degree  shed  the 
pure  lustre  of  a  spotless  life  over  so  long  a  journey 
through  the  wilderness.  The  last  time  the  writer 
saw  Mr.  Reece  was  at  the  great  "  Centenary  Meet- 


80         SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

ing"  at  Manchester,  when  he  boldly  proposed  the 
sum  of  two  hundred  thousand  pounds  sterUng 
as  the  minimum  of  the  centenary  fund.  Many 
smiled  at  the  old  man's  confidence,  and  supposed 
that  his  usual  judgment  had  forsaken  him ;  but 
the  people  more  than  vindicated  his  estimate  of 
Methodistic  gratitude  and  liberality  by  pouring 
into  the  treasury  of  the  Lord  more  than  sixteen 
thousand  poimds  beyond  that  sum. 

A  few  months  since  a  personal  friend  of  the 
writer  saw  Mr.  Reece  in  England.  He  had  then 
retired  from  the  itinerancy ;  in  pleasant  allusion  to 
which  and  his  own  reputation  as  a  somewhat  severe 
superintendent  he  observed,  "  I  can  still  preach 
twice  on  the  Sunday ;  and  my  superintendent 
gives  me  plenty  of  work.  They  used  to  call  me 
a  hard  superintendent,  therefore  I  must  not  com- 
plain now  that  I  have  to  obey  and  be  under  au- 
thority myself." 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  81 


Hobert  Neroton,  B.  53. 

"  He  has  no  party  rage,  no  sectary's  whim ; 
Christian  and  countrjTnan  is  all  with  him."— Craiie. 
"Ail  men  love  to  lean  on  hint,  who  never  failed  nor  fainted. 
Freedom  gloweth  in  his  eyes,  and  nobleness  of  nature  at  his  heart." 

Proverbial  Philosophy. 

Some  twelve  years  ago  the  writer  was  traveling 
between  Manchester  and  Leeds  bj^  that  most  plea- 
sant of  all  conveyances,  an  English  first-class  stage 
coach,  (now,  by  the  introduction  of  railroads,  an 
almost  unknown  mode  of  transportation,)  prefer- 
ring, as  every  experienced  traveler  in  good  health 
woxild,  an  "outside  place."  The  seats  in  the  rear 
were  occupied  by  a  very  pleasant  company,  veri- 
table sons  of  John  Bull — so  often  denounced  as  a 
surly,  vmsociable  fellow,  who  never  opens  his  lips 
but  to  snarl  and  growl ;  yet  they  soon  entered  into 
agreeable  conversation,  though  to  that  moment 
they  were  entire  strangers  to  each  other.  Even 
the  '-'guard" — an  official  attached  to  every  stage 
coach  on  a  long  route,  and  to  all  first-rate  coaches, 
be  the  run  ever  so  short ;  and  who  is  generally 
something  of  a  sporting  character — ^joined  in  the 
conversation  with  considerable  readiness  and  pro- 
priety. Religious  topics  became  the  subject  of 
converse  ;  and  as  there  was  at  least  one  Methodist 
in  the  company,  it  will  excite  no  wonder  that 
Methodism  put  in  its  claim  to  notice.  When  we 
had  descended  from  principles  to  commimities, 
6 


82  SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS. 


there  was  no  difficulty  in  stepping  down  from 
communities  to  individuals,  and  the  talents  and 
characteristics  of  various  ministers  and  laymen, 
more  or  less  known  to  the  rehgious  world,  were 
reviewed.  In  reply  to  a  remark  from  one  of  the 
party,  the  guard  said,  in  substance : — 

"  I  do  not  profess  religion  myself,"  (adding  the 
common  excuse,  that  his  line  of  life  was  unfavor- 
able to  its  possession ;)  "  but  I  love  to  see  it  in  others 
when  they  live  up  to  it.  There  is  a  gentleman  who 
travels  a  good  deal,  who  when  he  comes  out  of 
Leeds  or  Manchester  generally  travels  by  my 
coach  ;*  and  he  always  takes  a  seat  behind,  with 
me.  We  never  get  far  from  the  pavements  before 
he  contrives  to  turn  the  conversation  to  religion. 
I  don't  know  how  he  manages  it:  it  seems  to 
come  up  naturally,  and  before  you  know  what  he 
is  driving  at.  Nobody  takes  offense  ;  for  he  is  as 
true  a  gentleman  as  ever  sat  on  a  coach.  He  often 
talks  to  me  very  plainly ;  and  sometimes  asks  me 
very  close  questions,  but  in  such  a  friendly  manner 
that  I  cannot  help  answeiing  them.  I  love  that 
man,  and  so  does  everybody.  I 've  known  gentle- 
men, when  they  have  heard  him  talking,  leave  the 
front  seats,  when  we  stopped  anywhere,  and  come 
and  sit  here,  that  they  might  listen  to  him.  He 
does  not  make  any  parade  of  his  reUgion  either ; 
but  no  one  can  help  seeing  that  he  is  a  good  man, 

*  Every  "  guard  "  speaks  of  his  coach ;  and  when  on  the  road  he  13 
about  as  supreme  as  the  captain  of  a  ship  is  at  sea.  Generally  they 
are  shrewd,  observant,  intelligent  men,  civil,  and  often  generous 
feUows,  with  a  due  regard  to  the  main  chance. 


SKETCHEi5  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  83 

and  that  his  religion  makes  him  cheerful  and  happy. 
I  often  wish  I  was  like  him.  I  think  his  name  is 
Isaac  Newton." 

Smiling  at  the  guard's  mistake,  while  I  admired 
his  manly  honesty,  I  observed,  "  Robert  Newton,  is 
it  not?" 

"  Yes,  I  believe  it  is,"  said  he  :  "  he  is  always 
traveling  about." 

The  writer  had  knoAvn  and  admired  Mr.  Newton 
before  he  heard  this  disinterested  and  incidental 
testimony  to  his  noble  consistency  of  character. 
From  that  hour  who  could  help  esteeming  and 
loving  him  ? 

Cecil  observes,  that  "  the  history  of  a  man's  own 
life  is,  to  himself,  the  most  interesting  history  in 
the  world,  next  to  that  of  the  Scriptures.  Every 
man  is  an  original  and  solitary  character.  None 
can  either  understand  or  feel  the  book  of  his  own 
life  like  himself.  The  lives  of  other  men  are  to 
him  dry  and  vapid  when  set  beside  his  own."  In 
an  inferior  sense  to  that  which  Cecil  intended,  the 
remarks  apply  with  peculiar  force  to  Mr.  Newton. 
If  he  keeps  a  diary  or  journal,  (which,  however,  is 
doubted,)  a  record  of  apostolical  labors  has  yet  to  be 
given  to  the  world  unparalleled,  it  may  safely  be 
said,  in  the  modem  histoiy  of  the  church,  and  not 
surpassed  in  extent  by  the  "joumeyings  often" 
of  the  Rev.  John  Wesley  himself. 

Mr.  Newton  entered  upon  the  itinerancy  in  1799  ; 
the  same  year  in  which  Dr.  Bunting  and  some  other 
eminent  preachers  commenced  their  public  minis- 


84  SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

try.  There  was  that  year  an  unusual  scarcity  of 
candidates ;  and  it  is  commonly  said  that  Mr. 
Newton  was  called  out  without  the  usual  pre- 
liminaries and  course  of  examination.  He  soon, 
however,  gave  evidence  that  he  was  in  every  way 
quahfied  for  the  high  vocation,  and  that  the  Con- 
ference had  but  opened  the  path  in  which  the  great 
Head  of  the  church  designed  he  should  walk. 
It  is  not  generally  known  imder  whose  ministry 
Mr.  Newton  was  awakened.  Mrs.  Taft,  a  female 
preacher,  at  one  time  of  some  celebrity,  was  wont 
to  claim  him  as  her  son  in  the  gospel.  The  claim, 
however,  was  not  just ;  since  the  good  woman  con- 
founded the  subject  of  this  sketch  with  his  brother 
Jacob,  who  after  laboring  a  few  years  in  the 
itinerancy,  with  much  acceptance,  retired  on  ac- 
count of  ill  health,  and  entered  into  business.  He 
found  peace  in  a  prayer  meeting,  after  preaching 
by  Mrs.  Taft,  who  to  the  last  persisted  in  her  claim 
upon  Robert;  and  in  her  pious  and  well-meant 
zeal  used  often  to  wrestle  mightily  ^vith  God  that 
he  would  give  her  another  Robert  Newton,  as  a 
seal  to  her  labors.  It  is  said  that  on  account  of 
the  pertinacity  and  publicity  with  which  the  lady 
claimed  her  instrumentaUty  in  his  conversion,  Mr. 
Newton's  brethren  in  the  ministry  have  been  known 
to  quiz  him  a  httle  upon  the  subject ;  but  he 
uniformly  refuses  to  acknowledge  any  woman  as 
his  spiritual  father. 

Remembering  that  the  gentleman  has  nsited 
this  country,  it  seems  almost  needless  to  describe 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS.  85 


his  pei-sonal  appearance.  Hundreds,  however,  did 
not  see  liim ;  and  to  them  tlie  description  will  be 
welcome.  His  features  are  masculinely  handsome ; 
his  face  bears  the  impress  of  hardiness  and  health, 
embrowned  by  constant  exposure.  The  whiskers 
cross  far  over  the  cheek,  are  trimmed  -mth  some 
exactness,  and  are  forbidden  to  grow  on  the  lower 
part  of  the  face  beyond  a  straight  line  drawn  from 
the  bottom  of  the  ear  to  a  little  above  the  upper 
lip.  They  give  rather  a  martial  air  to  the  coun- 
tenance, which  is  increased  by  the  upright  attitude 
of  their  owner.  The  nose  is  slightly  aquiline.  The 
mouth,  as  Mr.  Everett  observes,  is  formed  for 
public  speaking,  and  is  capable  of  emitting,  Avith- 
out  the  least  contraction,  the  fullest  voice.  The 
hair  is  naturally  dark  ;  but  he  wears  a  false  top, 
which,  before  the  whiskers  became  gray,  could 
scarcely  be  recognized  as  an  artificial  covering: 
even  now  it  has  a  natural  appearance.  The  fore- 
head is  very  fine,  sufficiently  high,  expansive,  and 
beaming  with  light.  Ingenuousness,  blended  sua- 
vity and  dignity,  are  strongly  and  truthfully  indi- 
cated by  the  whole  features.  The  eyes,  dark  and 
expressive,  and  remarkable  for  the  clearness  of  the 
white,  are  overhung  with  long  black  lashes,  and 
surmounted  with  a  finely-arched  eyebrow.  In 
height  he  is  not  far  from  six  feet.  There  is  a 
slight  degree  of  squareness  about  the  shoulders ; 
and  the  whole  frame  is  sinewy,  strong,  and  com- 
pact, fitly  jomed  together,  and  capable  of  enduring 
almost  any  amount  of  labor.    His  voice  must  be 


86  SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

heard  to  be  appreciated.  Deep-toned  and  melo- 
dious, it  is  equal  to  any  demands  tliat  can  be  made 
upon  it.  It  has  all  the  compass  and  power  of  the 
organ :  now  swelling  and  pealing,  and  anon  soft- 
ening into  deepest  tenderness  and  sweetness,  yet 
in  its  faintest  sounds  always  audible  in  every  part 
of  the  largest  building.  The  perfection  of  his 
voice  is  well  seconded  by  the  grace,  ease,  and  ^m- 
varying  propriety  of  his  action.  Mr.  Newton  is 
little  indebted  to  art  in  any  respect — nature  made 
him  an  orator :  he  has  sought  little  instmction 
elsewhere,  and  acknowledges  no  other  teacher. 
His  pulpit  gestures  are  never  violent :  his  favorite 
action  is  a  slight  forward  inflection  of  the  body, 
and  a  circular  motion  of  the  right  hand,  with  the 
palm  downward,  over  the  open  Bible.  Sometimes 
he  points  at  the  page  before  him  with  the  fore- 
finger, or  stretches  out  the  arm,  or  lays  his  hand 
upon  his  breast,  (the  left  hand  or  arm  is  never 
used  alone,)  or  elevates  both  hands,  with  the 
eyes  raised  to  the  ceiling  ;  and  these  actions,  with 
an  occasional  tapping  upon  the  Bible  with  the  fore- 
finger and  thumb  united  at  the  extremities,  though 
often  repeated,  are  so  perfectly  in  accordance  with 
the  subject  under  treatment,  that  they  never  weary 
or  lose  their  manifest  appropriateness. 

An  illustration  of  his  power  as  an  orator  occurs 
to  the  writer.  A  friend  of  mine,  disentangled  from 
the  meshes  of  infidelity,  took  a  former  associate, 
an  intelligent  man,  but  an  avowed  infidel,  to  hear 
Mr.  Newton  at  Newcastle-upon-Tyne.     At  the 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS.  87 

close  of  the  senice,  on  the  homeward  walk,  the 
infidel  was  asked  his  opinion  of  the  preacher. 

"  0,"  said  the  yonng  man,  "he  is  a  perfect  ora- 
tor ;  a  natural  orator  too.    But  he  is  a  fool,  sir." 

My  friend  was  annoyed  at  the  remark,  and  was 
about  resenting  it  somewhat  sharply,  when  the 
young  man  continued : — 

"  Pardon  me ;  I  do  not  mean  the  remark  of- 
fensively, but  that  he  is  neglecting  his  own  interest. 
If  Mr.  Newton  would  go  upon  the  stage,  su-,  in- 
stead of  yielding  to  his  religious  enthusiasm,  he 
might,  with,  his  voice,  gesture,  and  commanding 
figure,  gain  his  thousands  a  year,  with  only  a  tithe 
of  the  toil  and  inconveniences  which  he  must,  in 
his  present  position,  undergo." 

Such  was  the  tribute  awarded  to  the  extraor- 
dinary gifts  of  our  present  subject,  by  one  who 
could  not  be  regarded  as  a  partial  witness  ; — and, 
alas  !  such  the  characteristic  estimate  put  upon  the 
noblest  of  human  faculties  by  heartless  infidehty ; 
such  the  melancholy  ignorance  of  that  impelling 
principle  of  love  for  souls,  that  "  yearning  pity  for 
mankind,"  which  led  the  Saviour  to  Calvary,  and 
still  prompts  his  ministers  and  servants  to  count 
everji;liing  but  loss,  if  so  they  may 

 "  snatch  poor  souls  out  of  the  fire. 

And  quench  the  brands  in  Jesus'  blood." 

It  is  somewhat  diflScult  to  fix  Mr.  Newton's  rank 
as  a  preacher,  apart  from  his  distinction  as  an  ora- 
tor. The  hearer  is  led  away  from  criticising  the 
matter  of  his  discourses  by  the  irresistible  charm 


88  SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

of  his  manner.  Some,  not  carefully  analyzing  their 
emotions  while  listening  to  the  voice  of  the  charmer, 
sincerely  believe  that  the  theology  is  as  profound 
as  the  oratory  is  perfect ;  while  others,  with  equal 
sincerity  and  earnestness,  say  that  it  is  the  oratoiy 
alone  which  makes  the  preacher  so  universally 
popular.  Perhaps  both  opinions  are  erroneous  ;  the 
latter  being  formed  without  due  regard  to  Mr.  New- 
ton's deprivation  of  those  facilities  for  study  which 
are  ordinarily  the  privilege  of  ministei-s.  From  the 
first  year  of  his  itinerancy,  and  especially  for  the 
last  forty  years,  he  has  paid  the  usual  penalty  of 
great  popularity,  and  has  had  little  time  that  he 
could  call  his  own.  Probably  four-fifths  of  his 
time  are  spent  from  home,  in  travehng,  preaching, 
and  speech-making.  He  has  thus  been  excluded 
from  his  study,  denied  the  privilege  of  retirement 
and  seclusion,  and  has  been  thrown,  almost  without 
intermission,  into  promiscuous  society.  Add  to 
these,  the  burden  of  correspondence  which  his  po- 
sition necessarily  lays  upon  him,  and  it  cannot  but 
be  regarded  as  evidence  of  a  strong  intellect  and 
great  aptitude  for  the  investigation  and  elucidation 
of  theological  truth,  that  he  has  been  able  to  meet 
the  incessant  calls  upon  his  ministerial  labors,  not 
only  without  disappointment  on  the  part  of  his 
hearers,  but  with  continued  and  mcreasing  accept- 
abihty.  No  Wesleyan  minister  states  with  greater 
precision  the  doctrines  held  by  the  body  ;  or  more 
clearly  teaches  ob\-ious  Christian  duties  and  privi- 
leges ;  or  more  faithfully  rebukes  the  sinner  and 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  89 

the  hypocrite  ;  or  more  tenderly  in-vites  the  trem- 
bUng  penitent  to  trust  in  the  mercy  of  God ;  or 
more  cheeringly  points  the  beUever  to  the  great 
end  and  reward  of  his  faith,  even  everlasting  life. 

Mr.  Newton's  sermons  would  always  command 
attention,  and  be  profitable  to  the  hearer,  even  in 
tlie  absence  of  the  chann  of  his  oratory.  His  rigid 
simplicity  of  diction,  the  clearness,  fullness,  and 
force,  of  his  expositions,  would  make  liim  an  ac- 
ceptable preacher  under  any  circumstances.  His 
sermons  do  not  give  evidence  of  towering  intellect, 
of  profound  research,  or  of  brilliant  imagination ; 
but  neither  are  they  deficient  in  clearness,  force,  or 
completeness ;  they  have  always  a  definite  purpose 
which  they  are  well  adapted  to  accompUsh.  His 
topics  and  thoughts  are  good  without  being  novel ; 
useful,  though  they  may  not  dazzle  ;  and  he  inva- 
riably finds  his  way  both  to  the  heads  and  the 
hearts  of  his  hearers.  His  principal  defect  is,  that 
he  is  sometimes  too  discursive,  and  takes  a  Avider 
range  than  the  text,  to  a  closer  thinker,  would  seem 
to  justify.  A  rather  amusing  instance  of  this  may 
be  here  narrated. 

Mr.  Newton,  and  an  intimate  friend  of  the  writer. 
Rev.  Mr.  *  *  *  *,  were  appointed  to  preach  mis- 
sionary sermons  on  Christmas-day,  at  Pontefract, 
in  Yorkshire.  Mr.*  *  *  *  was  at  the  time  stationed 
in  one  of  the  Leeds  circuits,  and  it  was  arranged 
that  the  writer  should  drive  hun  over  to  Pontefract, 
on  the  morning  of  the  day  on  which  his  senices 
were  required,  Mr.  Newton  preaching  in  the  mom- 


90         SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS. 


ing  and  evening,  and  he  in  the  afternoon.  As  we 
passed  along  the  road  the  exercises  of  the  day  were 
canvassed ;  and  at  the  writer's  solicitation,  Mr. 

*  *  *  *  consented  to  reproduce  a  seimon  which 
had  been  attended  at  Leeds  with  special  benefit, 
the  text  being,  "  Ood  so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave 
his  only  begotten  Son,"  &c.  We  arrived  too  late 
at  our  destination  to  see  Mr.  N.  before  he  entered 
the  pulpit.    When  he  announced  his  hymn,  Mr. 

*  *  *  *  quietly  remarked,  "  He  will  take  my  text." 
The  conjecture  proved  correct ;  and,  before  the 
close  of  the  discourse,  Mr.  Newton  had,  to  his  col- 
league's discomfiture,  touched  upon  almost  every 
branch  of  theology  which  had  the  most  remote 
bearing  upon  the  subject  or  the  season.  Mr.  New- 
ton, in  the  vestry,  after  preaching,  excused  himself 
from  the  afternoon  service,  on  the  ground  that  he 
had  traveled  most  of  the  night,  and  had  to  "  pass 
on "  after  evening  preaching.  The  sequel,  how- 
ever, was  not  yet.  In  the  afternoon,  Mr.  *  *  *  * 
occupied  the  pulpit,  in  the  full  confidence  that  his 
associate  would  not  be  present.  He  had  scarcely 
annoimced  as  his  text,  "  He  that  spared  not  Ms  -own 
Son,  hut  delivered  him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall  he 
not  with  him  also  freely  give  us  all  things  " — before 
the  majestic  form  of  the  momng  preacher  was 
observed  in  the  body  of  the  chapel.  Again  we  all 
met  in  the  A'estry.  "  Why,  *  *  *  *,"  said  Mr. 
Newton,  "  you  have  stolen  a  march  upon  me.  I 
was  going  to  preach  from  that  text  to-night."  "  Just 
serves  you  right,"  was  the  reply ;  "  you  took  my 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS.  91 


text  this  morning,  and  robbed  me  of  two  or  three 
sermons  into  the  bargain."  Of  course  there  was 
some  meniment  at  the  reverend  gentlemen's  ex- 
pense. 

The  amoimt  of  physical  labor  which  Mr.  Newton 
undergoes  is  almost  incredible.  It  is  calculated 
that  he  travels  from  eight  to  ten  thousand  miles 
every  year.  Indeed,  as  Mr.  Everett  obsen'es,  "  he 
can  scarcely  be  said  to  have  a  home  to  which  he 
can  assert  a  residential  claim,  except  the  highway 
and  the  house  of  God,  the  stage-coach  or  the  rail- 
way carriage,  and  the  pulpit,  in  one  or  other  of 
which  he  is  to  Ije  found,  with  few  intervals,  from 
Simday  morning  to  Saturday  night."  He  makes 
a  point,  as  far  as  practicable,  of  being  in  his  own 
circuit  on  the  Sunday  ;  and  when  he  is  at  home,  if 
it  should  happen  to  be  his  "  coimtry  Sunday,"  the 
most  distant  and  insignificant  place  is  as  punctually 
and  cheerfully  attended  to,  as  the  largest  of  the 
town  chapels.  This  is  so  Avell  xmderstood,  that 
when  the  plan*  shows  that  it  is  his  Sunday  "  out," 
or  in  the  country  part  of  the  circuit,  the  members 
of  the  place  where  he  is  planned  depute  some  per- 
son, gomg  to  market  on  the  Saturday,  to  ascertain 
whether  Mr.  Newi;on  is  at  home  ;  and  if  an  affirma- 
tive answer  be  received,  great  is  their  joy.  The 
instructions  to  this  deputy  are  generally  accom- 
panied by  an  injunction  to  make  the  inquiry  the 
last  thing  before  he  leaves  town,  because  it  is  known 

*  The  itinerant  and  local  preachers'  printed  plan,  renewed  quarter- 
ly and  distributed  through  the  circuit. 


92  SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS. 

that  the  latest  conveyance  is  the  most  hkely  to 
bring  the  preacher.  Sometimes  the  messenger  is 
not  a  member  of  the  society,  and  feels  no  interest  in 
the  matter  beyond  a  willingness  to  oblige  his  neigh- 
bors ;  or,  perhaps,  afflicted  with  the  malady  of  bash- 
fulness,  he  merely  rings  at  Mr.  Newton's  door,  asks 
whether  he  is  at  home,  and  receiving  a  reply  in  the 
negative,  turns  away  without  inquiring  further,  and 
reports  accordingly.  The  intelligence  throws  a 
damper  upon  rustic  expectation,  and  the  people 
are  but  ill  prepared  to  receive  the  "  yoimg  man" 
whose  misfortune  it  is  to  be  appointed  by  the  Con- 
ference as  Mr.  Newton's  "  assisianV — meaning 
substitute.  Some  of  the  older  ones  know,  however, 
that  "  wliile  there  is  time  there  is  hope,"  and,  con- 
gregating about  the  chapel  door  before  the  hour  for 
service,  they  cast  anxious  glances  along  the  turnpike 
which  leads  from  the  circuit  town.  Watches  of 
ancient  mechanism,  and  inordinate  thickness  and 
circumference,  are  drawn  from  capacious  fobs,  and 
from  their  varying  indices  sage  conclusions  are  ar- 
rived at,  as  to  whether  it  is  yet  half-past  ten 
o'clock,  or  still  lacks  five  minutes.  By  common 
consent  the  five  mmutes  are  allowed ;  for  "  who  shall 
decide  when  watches  disagree  ?"  And  while  yet  all 
faces  are  turned  in  the  direction  of  the  road  lead- 
ing to  the  circuit  town,  the  rumbling  of  wheels  in 
the  opposite  direction  suddenly  ceases,  and  spring- 
ing from  a  bon-owed  gig,  or  shander-a-dan,  or  other 
nondescript  vehicle,  Mr.  Newton  gently  lays  his 
hand  upon  the  shoulder  of  one  of  the  group,  and 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS.  93 

in  his  well-known  voice  quietly  asks,  if  it  is  not 
"  preaching  time."  A  hearty  and  universal  shak- 
ing of  hands  follows  ;  with  buoyant  step  the  preach- 
er passes  through  the  chapel  yard  into  the  house 
of  God  ;  a  few  linger  until  he  has  disappeared,  and 
then  liastily  step  into  the  neighboring  houses  to 
spread  the  intelligence  of  Mr.  Newton's  arrival ; 
and  in  ten  minutes  the  crowded  building  attests 
the  preacher's  popularity.  The  probable  truth  is 
that  on  Saturday  night,  at  a  distance  of  fifty  or 
sixty  miles  from  home,  his  travel  has  been  inter- 
rupted by  the  contingency,  not  imcommon  as  rail- 
roads began  to  intersect  the  coimtry,  that  a  night 
coach  on  which  he  had  relied  had,  without  notice, 
been  taken  off  the  road,  and  he  thus  has  been  un- 
expectedly thrown  upon  his  own  resources.  These 
seldom  fail  him.  He  has  friends  everywhere,  and 
knows  almost  every  road,  cross-road,  and  by-lane 
in  the  country.  By  a  rapid  process  he  "  calculates  " 
where  he  can  be  sure  of  a  vehicle ;  and  by  dint  of 
travehng  all  night,  perhaps  by  some  circuitous 
route,  he  secures  his  object,  and  is  at  the  chapel 
door  punctually  at  the  time  for  service.  He  will 
preach  that  day  two  or  three  times,  probably 
snatching  twenty  minutes  sleep  in  the  intervals  ; 
after  evening  preaching  he  will  ride  home,  a  dis- 
tance perhaps  of  six  or  eight  miles,  and  on  Monday 
evening  be  preaching  forty,  fifty,  or  a  hundred 
miles  in  another  direction. 

This  kind  and  degree  of  labor  Mr.  Newton  has 
performed  incessantly  for  nearly  half  a  centuiy — 


94  SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

exposed  to  all  kinds  of  weather,  and,  what  to  most 
constitutions  is  even  more  injurious,  to  constant  ir- 
regularity in  the  matters  of  sleep  and  food — and  yet 
he  comes  out  of  each  journey,  and  appears  in  the 
pulpit,  "  with  a  frame  as  firmly  braced  as  a  drum, 
with  a  countenance  as  open  as  the  day,  and  spirits 
as  joyous  as  those  of  the  lark  when  the  streaks  of 
the  morning  begin  to  break  over  the  earth,"  and 
has,  with  the  exception  of  two  brief  intervals,  en- 
joyed uninterrupted  health. 

Of  his  ingenuity  in  extricating  himself  from  the 
mishaps  and  exigencies  of  such  constant  traveling, 
numerous  instances  might  be  recorded.  A  fcAV 
must  suffice.  In  some  of  these  Mr.  Everett  has 
the  priority  of  publication  in  the  Wesleyan  Cen- 
tenary Takings,  but  they  were  matters  of  common 
conversation  in  Wesleyan  circles  before  he  gave 
them  to  the  world  in  notes  to  his  masterly  portrait 
of  Mr.  Newton. 

Skillful  as  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch  in  extri- 
cating himself  from  dilemmas  caused  by  accidents 
of  the  road,  he  was  once  so  fairly  "  cornered,"  that, 
in  spite  of  all  his  experience  and  skill,  he  was  driven 
to  the  necessity  of  either  disappointing  his  congre- 
gation, or  walking  ten  miles  after  leaving  the  coach, 
burdened  with  his  traveling  dress  and  carpet-bag, 
and  straitened  also  for  time.  He  made  his  choice 
without  hesitation,  arrived  at  the  place,  immediately 
ascended  the  pulpit,  and  went  through  the  service 
without  apparent  fatigue. 

At  another  time,  the  coach  by  which  he  expected 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  95 

to  travel  to  the  next  town  failed  to  arrive,  and  the 
hour  for  preaching  was  drawing  very  near.  Not  a 
vehicle  or  even  a  horse  could  he  obtain.  While 
rather  anxiously  pondering  over  the  difficulty,  the 
postman  approached  on  his  way  to  the  place  which 
Mr.  Newton  wished  to  reach.  The  perplexed  tra- 
veler hailed  him,  and  explained  his  difficulty.  The 
postman  knew  liim,  and  instantly  dismoimted  ;  the 
preacher  as  suddenly  was  metamorphosed  into  the 
postman,  and,  "  intrusted  with  the  whole  epistolary 
affairs  of  church  and  state,  of  the  commercial  and 
social  world,  the  new  equestrian  clapped  his  heels 
to  the  horse — off  he  went  in  fine  style — the  horn 
and  pistols  in  their  proper  places — the  bags  flap- 
ping against  the  old  stager's  sides,  and  beating 
time  to  his  pace — and  the  postman  trudging  it  on 
foot  in  the  rear.  Both  horse  and  rider  knew  the 
way  to  the  office — they  dashed  through  the  streets 

of  W  ,  and  were  soon  at  tlie  door,  where  the 

new  postman  made  an  honest  sun-ender  of  the  let- 
ters and  the  horse,  to  the  no  small  amusement  of 
the  postmaster  and  his  family,  who  happened  to  be 
Wesleyans." 

On  another  occasion,  when  about  eleven  miles 
from  his  destination,  the  gig  in  which  he  was  tra- 
veling broke  down,  and  was  so  much  shattered 
that  the  united  skill  of  the  occupants  could  not 
avail  to  "  fix  "  it,  even  for  temporary  use  ;  nor  was 
there  any  blacksmith's  or  wheelwright's  shop  with- 
in sight.  The  case  was  urgent,  and  Mr.  Newton's 
decision  prompt.    Disentangling  the  horse,  and 


96  SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS. 

stripping  it  of  the  harness,  except  the  bridle,  and 
cutting  a  good  "  switch  "  from  the  hawthorn  hedge, 
he  mounted  the  bare  back  of  the  astonished  steed, 
and  tclhng  his  companion  where  it  would  be  found 
at  the  place  of  destination,  he  was  soon  on  his  way, 
with  his  carpet-bag  before  him,  and  his  cloak  float- 
ing behind,  many  an  astonished  swain  wondering 
at  the  modem  John  Gilpm. 

Speaking  of  his  cloak  reminds  me  that  the  firs! 
time  I  saw  Mr.  Newton  was  some  five  and  twenty 
years  ago,  at  a  small  country  town  in  the  North- 
riding  of  Yorkshire,  not  far  distant  from  Mr.  New- 
ton's birthplace,  Robin  Hood's  Bay.  On  a  cer- 
tain day  in  the  year,  and  almost  at  the  same  hour 
in  the  day,  he  might  be  seen  en  route  to  his  native 
place,  to  preach  the  anniversary  sermons  on  behalf 
of  the  chapel,  riding  at  a  gentle,  jogging  pace, 
technically  known  as  a  "  Methodist  preacher's  trot," 
and  with  an  oil-skin  covering  over  his  hat,  and  his 
person  enveloped  in  an  old  green  tartan-plaid  cloak. 
It  must  even  then  have  done  long  ser^^ce,  for  the 
original  green  had  passed  through  the  "  sere  and 
yellow "  into  a  nondescript  hue  unknown  in  the 
nomenclature  of  colors.  Moreover  it  had  acquired 
the  soubriquet  of  "  Mr.  Newton's  cloak,"  and  was 
so  well  known  that  it  was  often  the  means  of  re- 
cognition when  on  a  crowded  coach  his  face  could 
not  be  seen.  "  That 's  Mr.  Newton's  cloak,"  ex- 
claimed one  of  the  family,  running  to  the  window. 
The  writer  followed,  and,  as  Mr.  Newton,  catching 
a  gUmpse  of  my  sister's  figure,  turned  round  to 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  rREACHERS.  97 

give  the  sign  of  recognition,  received  the  first  and 
indeUble  impression  of  his  noble  features.  I  saw 
the  same  cloak  on  the  same  form  three  hundred 
miles  in  another  direction,  some  six  or  seven  years 
afterward ;  since  when  I  do  not  remember  to  have 
observed  it.  Probably  it  did  wear  out  in  the 
lapse  of  years. 

Before  dismissing  the  perils  by  land,  to  which 
the  subject  of  this  sketch  is  often  exposed,  an  in- 
stance in  which  he  narrowly  escaped  peril  of  an- 
other sort  may  be  mentioned.  He  was  sojourning 
for  a  night  in  the  house  of  a  wealthy  member  of 
the  society,  and  had  to  proceed  on  his  journey 
long  before  dayhght.  His  host,  knowing  this,  gave 
orders  that  his  guest  and  himself  should  be  called 
early ;  and  that  breakfast  should  be  prepared  in 
time  for  liim  to  accompany  Mr.  Newton  to  the 
coach.  When  the  guest  retired,  his  kind  host  as- 
sured him  that  he  might  rely  upon  the  arrange- 
ments that  were  made,  and  pressed  him  to  resign 
himself  to  sleep  without  anxiety.  Though  im- 
pressed with  the  generous  consideration  of  his 
host,  Mr.  Newton  yet  preferring  to  trust  to  his  own 
habits,  awoke  at  the  required  time,  sallied  from 
his  chamber,  and  finding  that  no  one  Avas  stirring 
but  himself,  stepped  quietly  down  stairs,  unfastened 
the  front  door,  and  closed  it  softly  after  him,  that 
he  might  not  disturb  the  family.  On  reaching  the 
iron  gates  he  found  them  securely  locked.  If  he 
had  been  so  disposed,  there  was  not  time  to  arouse 
the  inmates  of  the  house,  and  obtain  the  key,  be- 
7 


98  SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

fore  the  coach  would  start.  Suspending  his  car- 
pet-bag on  one  of  the  iron  rails,  so  that  he  could 
unhook  it  at  the  other  side,  he,  with  great  difficulty, 
scaled  the  palisades.  Unseen  by  the  adventurous 
climber,  a  policeman  was  mean  time  watching  his 
movements,  which  were  certainly  rendered  suspi- 
cious by  the  absence  of  any  lights  in  the  house, 
the  quiet  observed,  the  carpet-bag,  and  the  scahng 
of  the  rails.  Reaching  the  sidewalk  in  safety,  Mr. 
Newton  imhooked  the  carpet-bag  and  hastily  moved 
on.  The  policeman  followed,  never  for  a  moment 
losing  sight  of  his  prey,  resolved  to  see  where  the 
supposed  burglar  deposited  his  booty.  Just  as 
the  traveler  anived  at  the  coach,  and  the  man  in 
authority  was  about  to  arrest  him  as  his  prisoner, 
some  one  accosted  him, — "  0,  Mr.  NeAvton,  are 
you  going  by  this  coach?"  The  policeman  re- 
tired, both  amused  and  disappointed.  The  name 
was  famihar  to  him ;  it  had  been  placarded  in  al- 
most every  village  and  town  in  the  kingdom,  and 
was  a  passport  for  integrity. 

The  features  in  Mr.  Newton's  history  and  cha- 
racter which  awaken  the  devout  joy  of  his  friends, 
are  his  sterling  piety  and  unaffected  humihty,  not- 
withstanding the  continual  temptation  to  exhibit 
another  spirit.  His  piety  is  manly  and  ennobling, 
and  is  as  much  unlike  the  sickly  sentimentalism  of 
some  religious  professors,  who  have  acquu-ed  the 
dialect  of  the  gospel  without  imbibing  its  spirit,  as 
hght  is  unlike  darkness.  It  is  healthy,  vigorous, 
and  catholic,  caring  more  for  "  truth  in  the  inward 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  I'REACHERS.  99 

parts  "  than  for  mere  externals  ;  carping  never  at 
the  shape  of  a  man's  garments,  nor  anathematizing 
those  Avho  may  differ  from  him  as  to  what  is  fitting 
and  comelj'  in  apparel.  No  man  would  more  sin- 
cerely grieve  over  the  slave  to  fashion  of  either 
sex — the  pride  of  conformity  to  the  world,  and  the 
pride  of  nonconformidj,  would  alite  awaken  his 
compassion,  and  insure  his  exhortation  and  prayers 
for  the  subject  of  it — but  it  is  very  doubtful  whe- 
ther any  man  ever  heard  a  censorious  remark  upon 
an  absent  person  from  his  lips.  His  piety  is  too 
deeply  imbued  with  the  charity  and  magnanimity 
of  the  gospel.  Tell  him  of  a  fellow-disciple's  de- 
rehction  from  duty,  too  notorious  to  be  doubted 
and  too  palpably  a  breach  of  principle  to  be  apolo- 
gized for,  and  his  response  will  be,  in  effect, — "  Yes, 
my  heart  bleeds  for  him  ;  let  him  that  thinketh 
he  standeth  take  heed  lest  he  fall."  Let  it  not  be 
supposed,  however,  that  his  piety  is  not  also  prac- 
tical. It  is  strikingly  so.  It  regulates  his  whole 
xmblemished  character.  It  hes  at  the  foundation 
of  his  viniform  cheerfulness.  It  is  the  mainspring 
of  his  incessant  labors  and  privations,  and  has  pre- 
served him  from  pride  and  self-conceit  during  half 
a  century  of  unparalleled  popularity. 
-  Until  the  second  advent  of  the  Redeemer,  when 
eveiy  man  "  shall  stand  in  his  lot,"  the  fruits  of 
Mr.  Newton's  ministry  cannot  be  computed.  But 
when  the  great  Head  of  the  clrarch  shall  appear 
in  the  heavens,  and  his  "  reward  with  him,  to  give 
imto  every  man  according  as  his  work  shall  be," 


100        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

the  subject  of  this  sketch  will  be  invested  with 
immortal  honor,  and  the  crown  of  his  rejoicing  will 
be  studded  with  many  gems  of  purest  lustre. 
Many  arc  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord  who  have 
been  gathered  into  the  fold  of  the  church  through 
his  instinmientality.  He  who  called  him  to  labor 
in  his  vineyard  has  honored  his  servant's  fideUty 
by  giving  him  seals  to  his  ministry.  I  will  here 
name  one  remarkable  instance,  the  particulars  of 
which  have  not  before  been  pubhshed.  They  were 
made  known  to  me  by  a  member  of  the  family 
whose  maternal  head  occupies  so  honorable  a  posi- ' 
tion  in  the  narrative. 

Mr.  Newton  was  is  the  habit  of  annually  preach- 
ing the  sermons  on  behalf  of  the  pruicipal  chapel 
in  Derby.  At  the  time  to  which  reference  is  now 
made.  Rev.  Isaac  Turton  was  stationed  there.  His 
lady,  a  model  for  a  preacher's  wife,  eminently 
mindful  of  her  own  household,  while  she  forgot  not 
the  necessities,  both  temporal  and  spiritual,  of  those 
around  her,  and  whose  praise  is  in  all  the  churches 
to  this  day,  had  been  very  sohcitous  for  the  con- 
version of  a  bold  and  intelligent  infidel,  who,  by  his 
pubhc  addresses  and  other  means,  was  leading 
many  into  tlie  dark  and  tortuous  paths  of  skepti- 
cism. Mrs.  Turton  was  a  faithful  and  efficient  tract 
distributer,  and  this  infidel's  house  was  in  her  dis- 
trict. Unweariedl}',  and  in  spite  of  harsh  words, 
for  nine  successive  weeks,  she  persevered  in  calling 
with  her  little  messenger  of  peace,  and  as  often  did 
he  refuse  to  admit  it  into  the  house,  watching  re- 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  101 


gularly  for  Mrs.  Turton's  visit,  lest  his  wife,  or 
some  other  member  of  the  family,  should  be  touched 
by  the  meek  earnestness  of  tlie  lady,  and  be  per- 
suaded to  accept  the  tract.  At  the  tenth  visit  his 
resolution  gave  way.  He  permitted  the  tract  to 
be  left,  but  persisted  in  declining  to  read  it,  or 
allow  it  to  be  read.  The  third  or  foiulh,  however, 
which  Avas  thus  left,  was  returned  with  a  page 
turned  down — a  consultation  was  held  between  the 
pious  lady  and  her  husband,  and  two  or  three  suit- 
able books  were  sent  by  Mr.  Turton  to  the  now 
half-awakened  infidel.  In  a  few  days  he  volun- 
tarily returned  the  visit  Avhich  was  at  first  so  dis- 
tasteful to  him  ;  conversation  and  prayer  followed  ; 
and  at  Mrs.  Turton's  earnest  solicitation  he  con- 
sented to  attend  at  the  Wesleyan  Chapel  on  the 
following  Sunday,  when  Mr.  Newton  was  to  preach 
the  anniversary'  sermons. 

This  infidel  was  a  well-known  character,  of  good 
moral  reputation,  bold  and  fearless  in  the  avowal 
of  his  sentiments,  of  considerable  respectabiUty, 
and  possessed  a  very  large,  and,  in  a  pecuniary 
sense,  very  valuable  hbrary.  In  person,  he  was  of 
commanding  aspect.  That  there  was,  in  spite  of 
his  infidelity,  a  redeeming  manliness  of  character 
about  him  -will  be  inferred  from  his  reply  to  Mrs. 
Turton's  offer  of  a  seat  in  the  preachers'  pew,  as 
being  in  a  retired  situation  where  he  would  be  less 
observed  by  the  congregation.  "  No,  madam," 
he  said  ;  "  you  have  already  been  instrumental  in 
changing  my  ^aews  of  rehgion  to  some  extent.  I 


102        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

begin  to  doubt  the  soundness  of  my  cherished  sen- 
timents, the  promulgation  of  which  I  have  openly- 
labored  for,  and  if  I  attend  your  chapel  on  Sunday, 
it  shall  be  in  sight  of  the  whole  congregation." 
Sunday  came,  and,  true  to  his  promise,  the  relent- 
ing skeptic  entered  the  chapel,  and  took  a  seat  in 
the  centre  of  the  body  of  the  house.  All  eyes 
were  immediately  turned  upon  him,  and  significant 
glances  were  exchanged  between  those  in  the  con- 
gregation to  whom  he  was  known.  But  to  this 
observation  the  observed  was  mdifferent ;  he  was 
lost  m  meditation.  Mr.  NeA\i,on  ascended  the  pul- 
pit, and  announced  the  hymn.  The  new  hearer 
awoke  from  his  reverie,  fixed  his  eyes  upon  the 
preacher  with  an  expression  of  deep  interest,  stood 
erect  while  the  hjonn  was  sung,  and  kneeled  de- 
voutly during  prayer.  Mr.  Newton,  who  was 
entirely  ignorant  of  the  circumstances  in  which  he 
was  placed,  took  for  his  text  Psalm  i,  1  :  "  Blessed 
is  the  man  that  ivalketh  not  in  the  counsel  of  the  un- 
godly, nor  standeth  in  the  way  of  sinners,  nor  sitteth 
in  the  seat  of  the  scornful."  The  effect  upon  the 
man  was  electrical ;  and  before  the  preacher  had 
well  entered  upon  his  sermon  he  was  leaning  upon 
the  front  of  the  pew,  with  his  eyes  intently  fixed 
upon  the  speaker,  eagerly  drinking  in  every  word 
that  came  from  his  hps,  utterly  unmindful  of  the 
amazement  of  some  in  the  congi-egation,  to  whom 
his  character  and  person  were  well  known.  He 
also  attracted  Mr.  Newton's  notice,  who,  though 
feeling  an  unpression  that  the  man  was  arrested  by 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  103 

the  word,  yet  was  puzzled  by  the  fixed  and  almost 
rigid  expression  of  his  countenance,  and  stepping- 
into  Mr.  Turton's  house  after  preaching,  made  in- 
quiries respecting  his  hearer.  Wliile  they  were 
conversing,  the  door-bell  rang,  and  the  man  him- 
self was  introduced  into  the  room.  His  first  re- 
mark, a  not  unusual  one,  was,  that  Mi's.  Turton  had 
told  the  preacher  his  histoiy ;  this  bemg  denied, 
and  the  matter  explained  to  him.  he  turned  toward 
Mr.  Newton,  acknowledged  that  God  had  spoken 
through  him  to  his  erring  heart,  and  besought  the 
prayers  of  all  three  for  his  full  deUverance  from 
the  snare  of  the  enemy.  An  hour  was  spent  in 
earnest  prayer  and  supplication,  Mr.  Turton's  study 
echoing  with  the  groans  and  cries  of  the  wounded 
sinner  and  the  impassioned  tones  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  and  those  who  were  associated  with 
him.  The  penitent,  though  he  did  not  then  obtain 
a  clear  knowledge  of  sins  forgiven,  was  encouraged 
to  hope  :  he  went  home  ;  the  next  morning  he 
made  a  bonfire  of  his  large  collection  of  infidel 
books,  became  subsequently  truly  converted,  and 
an  acceptable  local  preacher  in  the  Methodist  con- 
nection. 

Any  sketch  of  Mr.  Newton  would  be  veiy 
imperfect  which  did  not  take  some  notice  of  his 
platform  services  ;  for,  in  the  abundance  and  effi- 
ciency of  his  labors  in  that  department  of  Christian 
enterprise,  he  is  ceiiainly  without  a  parallel.  No 
missionary  meeting  ever  proved  a  failure  at  which 
be  was  present  as  a  speaker.    They  manage  these 


104        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

meetings  better  in  England,  the  writer  conceives, 
than  we  do  here;  and,  indeed,  their  whole  mis- 
sionary organization  is  more  elFective.  The  noble 
sum  annually  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  Wes- 
leyan  Missionary  Society,  as  compared  with  the 
income  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Missionary  So- 
ciety, is  evidence  of  this.  Great  pains  are  taken 
to  infuse  interest  into  the  Enghsh  missionary  anni- 
versaries, and  to  make  them  occasions  of  high 
intellectual  and  spiritual  enjojmient.  Their  meetings 
are  always  preceded  by  missionary  sermons,  for 
which  a  stranger  is  secured,  if  only  from  a  neigh- 
boring circuit.  The  meeting  is  held  during  the 
week  following,  but  never  on  the  Simday.  Such  a 
thing  would  not  be  thought  of  among  the  Wes- 
leyans  in  England.  The  meeting  is  generally  pre- 
sided over  by  a  layman,  and  both  clergy  and  laity 
take  part  in  the  speaking.  In  the  towns  the  plat- 
form is  large,  and  is  occupied  by  a  numerous 
representation  of  Methodist  ministers,  and  gene- 
rally some  of  the  other  denominations,  and  of  the 
influential  laity  connected  with  the  chapel  or  town 
in  which  the  meeting  is  held. 

In  Manchester,  Leeds,  and  other  large  towns, 
twenty,  thirty,  or  even  more,  occupy  the  platform. 
Four  or  half  a  dozen  speakers  will  address  the 
meeting,  each  proposing  or  "  supporting,"  as  it  is 
technically  styled,  one  of  a  series  of  resolutions 
previously  prepared  by  the  local  secretary.  Each 
resolution  is  formally  put  to  the  meeting  by  the 
chairman,  and  a  vote  taken  upon  it  by  a  show  of 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  105 

hands.  The  meeting  usually  continues  from  half- 
past  six  or  seven  o'clock  until  ten  in  the  evening, 
more  or  less  protracted  by  local  circimistances. 
The  collection  is  made,  in  the  ordinary  mode  of 
handing  round  the  boxes,  when  the  meeting  is 
about  three-fourths  advanced.  If  Mr.  Newton  is 
one  of  the  speakers,  he,  of  course,  makes,  what  is 
pleasantly  called,  the  "  collection  speech,"  and  no 
man  can  make  it  so  effectively.  Yet  it  can  scarcely 
be  said  that  he  ber/s — a  hundred  persons  might  be 
foimd  who  would  do  that  more  importunately  and 
mercilessly.  He  will  dwell  m  glowing  terms  upon 
the  blessedness  of  those  who  co-operate  with  the 
providence  and  grace  of  God  in  the  missionary  en- 
terprise ;  he  will  depict,  in  tones  of  deepest  ten- 
deraess,  the  wretchedness  and  misery  of  the 
heathen ;  he  Avill  stimulate  and  encourage  the 
audience  to  liberahty  \>\  a  vi\-id  picture  of  what 
has  been  achieved  by  missionary  labor ;  and  expa- 
tiate, in  words  that  bum,  upon  the  opening  pros- 
pects and  expanding  glories  which  everywhere 
invitingly  meet  the  eye  of  the  Christian  philan- 
thropist. By  these,  and  other  avenues,  he  will 
enter  the  very  citadel  of  the  heart  of  those  whom 
he  addresses,  and,  kindhng  there  the  fire  of  pure 
Christian  sympathy  and  love,  will  fan  it  into  a 
flame  by  the  recital  of  remarkable  instances  of 
unselfish  devotion  to  the  great  and  holy  work  of 
converting  a  rebel  world,  so  many  of  which  have 
come  within  his  personal  knowledge ;  and  all  this 
he  M'ill  do  with  such  felicity  of  expression,  and  such 


106        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

a  gush  of  hallowed  feeling,  as  to  make  his  more 
direct  appeals  irresistible.  Toward  the  close  of  his 
speech,  persons  unused  to  the  giving  mood  often 
become  impatient  for  the  opportunity  of  aiding 
the  cause,  the  advocate  of  which  has  awakened 
such  new  and  delightful  emotions  within  their 
breasts,  and  has  clothed  the  smallest  volimtary 
sacrifice  in  the  cause  of  missions  Avith  an  accept- 
ability in  the  sight  of  God,  and  an  importance  in 
its  consequences  to  their  fellow-men,  which  prompt 
them  to  the  noblest  efforts,  and  make  "  their  duty 
their  delight."  It  is  by  supplying  motives  for 
liberality,  and  by  depicting  its  rewards,  that  Mr. 
Newton  so  invariably  succeeds.  There  is  nothing 
of  dictation  in  his  address — no  saying  what  they 
must  give — no  undignified  solicitation ;  the  people 
give  spontaneously  as  tlie  Lord  hath  prospered 
them,  or  as  the  silent  monitor  within  may  counsel 
them  ;  they  retire  to  their  homes  with  the  pleasant 
conviction  that,  of  their  own  accord,  they  have  done 
what  the  J'  could  ;  the  hallowed  joy  and  the  inward 
satisfaction,  felt  at  the  meeting,  remrin  with  them  ; 
and  when  the  time  returns  for  the  repetition  of  the 
anniversary,  it  is  anticipated  with  a  dehght  which 
rests  securely  upon  the  happy  experience  of  the 
former  meeting.  It  is  for  higher  authorities  than 
the  writer  to  decide  whether  this  is  not,  in  the  long 
run,  a  more  productive  plan  than  that  which  now, 
to  so  great  an  extent,  prevails  at  the  anniversaries 
of  our  own  Missionary  Society. 

For  a  number  of  years  Mr.  Newton  has  been 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS.  10*7 


annually  elected,  by  an  almost  unanimous  vote, 
secretary  of  the  Conference,  with  the  exception 
only  of  the  years  in  which  he  was,  with  the  same 
near  approach  to  unanimity,  elected  president.  He 
is  not  a  man  likely  to  allow  such  a  body  for  a  mo- 
ment to  transgress  the  rules  of  order,  even  were 
such  a  disposition  manifested.  It  is  but  justice, 
however,  to  the  British  Conference  to  say,  that  an 
appeal  to  the  presiding  officer  on  a  point  of  order 
is  a  very  rare  occurrence.  They  are  ever  willing 
to  exercise  Christian  courtesy  even  in  the  utmost 
freedom  and  animation  of  debate. 

As  will  be  inferred  from  what  has  already  been 
said,  he  is  pecuharly  adapted  either  for  secretary  or 
president,  on  account  of  his  excellent  voice  and  his 
combined  dignity  and  urbanity  of  deportment.  As 
a  ruler  in  Israel,  however,  he  cannot  be  compared 
with  him  whose  name  stands  at  the  head  of  the 
first  sketch  in  this  voliune. 


108       SKETGHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS. 


3saac  STnrton. 

"  What  he  believed,  he  taught ;  what  he  taught  he  practiced  ;  so 
that  creed  and  deed  harmonized.    He  had  a  sweet  spirit  too,  and  a 

pleasant  countenance  ;  grace  and  face  making  comely  union  

Indeed  he  was  a  Clu-istian  of  Christ's  sort." 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  entered  the  itinerancy  in 
1798,  and  has  for  some  years  been  upon  the  super- 
numerary list ;  but  although,  from  age  and  bodily 
infirmity,  he  has  been  compelled  partially  to  rest 
from  his  labors,  two  of  his  sons  have  stepped  into 
his  place,  and  give  promise  of  high  acceptability 
and  usefulness.  Rev.  Charles  G.  Turton  has  been 
in  the  itinerancy  seven,  and  Rev.  Henry  H.  Turton 
in  the  mission  field,  at  New-Zealand,  about  eight 
years.  Mr.  Turton,  senior,  has  also  a  son-in-law  who 
has  long  been  laboring  as  a  very  useful  missionary 
in  Ceylon,  Rev.  Robert  Spence  Hardy,  author  of 
"  Travels  in  the  Holy  Land,"  an  interesting  volume, 
which  has  been  republished  in  this  country. 

Dming  the  vigor  of  his  days  Mr.  Turton  com- 
manded much  attention  in  the  Wesleyan  Connec- 
tion. Few  of  his  contemporaries  were  more  accept- 
able in  the  pulpit,  or  out  of  it  exercised  a  more  le- 
gitimate and  salutary  influence  upon  their  respect- 
ive societies.  By  his  brethren  in  the  ministry  he 
was  always  held  in  high  estimation,  and  had  he 
been  ambitious  of  distinction — had  he  even  been 
less  retiring  and  less  indifferent  to  reputation,  other 
than  that  of  being  an  acceptable  minister  of  the 


fflfflreHES  OF  WB8LKYAN  PREACHBES.  109 

New  Testament,  and  a  faithful  overseer  of  the 
church  of  God,  the  sufirages  of  his  brethren  would 
have  freely  accorded  him  office  and  elevation 
among  them.  Few  men,  with  Mr.  Turton's  talents 
as  a  preacher,  have  so  resolutely  pursued  the  even 
tenor  of  their  way,  content,  like  the  violet  of  the 
rale,  to  reveal  their  presence  by  the  sweet  perfume 
of  their  piety,  rather  than  by  the  splendor  of  their 
talents.  As  a  pastor,  he  has  had  no  superior  and 
few  equals.  In  this  respect  he  was  truly  a  "  son 
of  consolation  ;"  all  tenderness  and  sympathy,  yet 
ever  faithful  in  his  coimsels  in  sickness  and  in 
health,  in  adversity  and  prosperity.  All  his  move- 
ments among  the  people,  his  daily  intercourse  with 
them  and  their  children,  showed  that  he  cared  for 
their  souls,  and  watched  over  them  as  one  that 
must  give  account.  But  Avith  all  this  oneness  of 
purpose,  this  fideUty  to  the  vows  that  were  upon 
him,  there  was  so  much  of  gentleness,  cheerfulness, 
and  suavity,  that  he  won,  in  a  remarkable  degree, 
the  afifection  of  all,  while  he  secured  their  venera- 
tion and  respect. 

Even  at  an  advanced  age,  and  after  years  of 
affliction  and  sorrow,  Mr.  Turton's  personal  appear- 
ance is  remarkably  pleasing.  In  the  ripe  vigor  of 
his  days  he  must  have  been  a  handsome  man,  as 
indeed  those  who  knew  him  then  declare  that  he 
was  ;  the  countenance  full  of  intelHgence  and  mild- 
ness ;  the  complexion  florid ;  the  cheek  bones  slight- 
ly prominent ;  the  forehead  high  and  well  develop- 
ed ;  the  eye  of  a  light  blue-gray,  clear  and  spark- 


110        SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHEE8. 


ling,  giving  a  vivacity  somewhat  in  contrast  with 
the  general  repose  of  the  face  ;  the  frame  about  five 
feet  ten  inches  in  height,  well  proportioned  in  every 
respect ;  his  gait  and  movements  natural  and  easy, 
and  the  tout-ensemble  that  of  an  intelligent,  afifable. 
Christian  gentleman,  heightened  not  a  httle  by  a 
becoming  taste  and  care  in  his  apparel. 

Few  men  have  read  more  and  to  better  piu-pose 
than  Mr.  Turton.  He  has  for  many  years  possess- 
ed an  extensive  library,  the  contents  of  which  he 
has  well  digested.  With  every  standard  theolo- 
gical writer,  from  the  "  Fathers  "  down  to  the  au- 
thors of  the  eighteenth  century,  he  is  thoroughly 
familiar.  The  arguments  and  fallacies  of  each  have 
been  carefully  noted  in  the  reading,  and  are  repro- 
duced with  perfect  ease,  in  conversation  and  in  the 
pulpit,  as  authorities  or  for  refutation.  More  than 
most  men  he  possesses  the  faculty  of  making  the 
contents  of  the  most  abstruse  and  elaborate  works 
his  own ;  never,  however,  confounding  the  various 
sources  whence  he  derives  his  knowledge.  There 
is  scarcely  a  standard  book  of  which  he  cannot  im- 
promptu give  a  complete  analysis ;  and  he  was  al- 
ways willing  to  give  liis  yoimger  brethren  the  bene- 
fit of  his  experience  for  their  guidance,  either  in 
the  selection  of  libraries  or  the  prosecution  of  their 
studies.  He  was,  indeed,  the  kind  friend  and 
judicious  counselor  of  young  preachers,  local  as 
well  as  itinerant. 

As  a  preacher,  Mr.  Turton  has  held  high  rank 
and  commanded  the  best  circuits.    For  this  he  is 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  Ill 

indebted  to  no  adventitious  aids.  He  never  de- 
claims ;  has  no  rediindancy  of  imagination,  and,  ex- 
cept in  the  earliest  years  of  his  ministry,  has  never 
been  an  impassioned  or  impetuous  preacher.  Nei- 
ther does  he  possess  a  powerful  or  commanding 
voice,  though  it  is  clear,  and  capable  of  considerable 
modulation.  His  sennons  are  always  instinct  with 
life,  and  glow  with  the  even  warmth  of  ardent  but 
well-regulated  feeling.  The  division  of  his  subject 
is  invariably  natural ;  he  never  resoiis  to  epigram- 
matic or  aUiterative  grouping  of  topics,  and  expa- 
tiates upon  the  sentiment  rather  than  the  phrase- 
ologj'  of  the  text ;  although  he  occasionally  intro- 
duces a  verbal  criticism  very  fehcitously.  He  is  a 
soimd  .logician,  and  though  entirely  self-taught  is 
conversant  with  the  most  rigid  discipline  of  the 
schools.  A  systematic  gradation  is  observed  in 
the  exposition  of  his  subject ;  eveiy  step  in  the 
progress  of  discussion  strengthens  his  position,  and 
carries  additional  hght  into  the  minds  of  his  hear- 
ers. This,  and  the  perennial  freshness  of  thought 
and  expression  are  the  peculiarities  and  excellences 
of  Mr.  Turton's  preaching.  He  is  not,  strictly 
speaking,  an  original  or  profound,  but  rather  a 
vigorous,  comprehensive,  accurate  thinker.  His  ser- 
mons are  nevertheless  his  own.  While  he  preaches, 
the  man  of  reading  is  lost  sight  of,  and  the  clear 
thinker  and  earnest  expositor  are  alone  seen  and 
heard.  Hence  his  popularity  was  constantly  on 
the  increase  during  the  vigor  of  his  days.  Where 
the  wishes  of  the  people  could  be  granted,  he  in- 


112        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

variably  staid  three  years  in  a  circuit ;  and  it  then 
seemed  to  them  as  though  time  was  but  revealing 
capacities  and  resources,  on  the  preacher's  part,  in 
the  benefits  of  which  they  would  fain  have  parti- 
cipated. It  was  a  remark,  not  unfrequently  made 
among  the  people,  that  his  mind  resembled  a  piece 
of  household  fui-niture,  the  more  it  was  used  the 
brighter  it  became. 

Mr.  Turton  was  superintendent  of  one  of  the 
Leeds  circuits  during  the  disturbances  in  the  so- 
cieties there  upon  the  "  organ  question ;"  and  his 
peace-loving,  sensitive  nature,  keenly  suffered  dur- 
ing the  timiult  of  unhallowed  passion  which  for  a 
season  prevailed.  At  the  same  juncture,  too,  he 
was  called  to  watch  at  the  bedside  of  a  dying 
wife — the  severest  trial  to  which  any  man  can  be 
exposed ;  but  in  Mr.  Turton's  case  especially  har- 
rowing, because  that  wife  was  in  an  almost  un- 
paralleled degree  a  help-meet  for  her  husband — 
not  only  as  the  wise  and  affectionate  counselor 
and  guardian  of  his  numerous  family,  leaving  his 
mind  unburdened  for  the  faithful  prosecution  of 
the  ministry  whereunto  he  was  called,  but  as  often 
encouraging  him  by  her  sympathy,  stimulating  him 
by  her  own  devotion  to  the  interests  of  the  Re- 
deemer's kingdom,  sweetly  sharing  the  yoke  with 
him  in  his  trials,  and  joying  with  him  in  the  tri- 
umphs of  his  faith  and  love.  To  this  day  her 
praise  is  in  all  the  churches.  From  this  double 
sorrow  Mr.  Turton  never  fully  recovered.  There 
is  little  of  the  iron  in  his  nature,  little  of  the  sturdy 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAK  PREACHERS.  113 

oak,  to  brave  such  a  storm ;  and  while,  with  un- 
wavering faith,  the  well-instructed  saint  reverently- 
bowed  his  head,  and  unfalteringly  said,  "  It  is  the 
Lord,  let  him  do  what  seemeth  good  unto  him," 
the  heart  of  the  man  was  smitten  with  a  sorrow 
that  the  world  knew  not  of.  Still  Mr.  Turton  la- 
bored diligently  in  word  and  doctrine ;  but  the 
stroke  which  removed  the  desire  of  liis  eyes — the 
companion  who  had  shared  in  sweetest  sympathy 
his  hopes  and  fears,  and  whose  enduring  friendship 
had  been  his  solace  amid  all  outward  trials — was 
lacerating  his  heart ;  and  after  a  few  years  he  re- 
tired from  the  itinerant  ranks,  and  patiently  but 
hopefully  awaits  the  summons,  "  Come  up  hither," 
and  the  commendation,  "  Well  done,  good  and 
faithful  ser\-ant;  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy 
Lord." 

8 


114       SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


Hobirt  ^om%. 

"  Much  of  easy  dignity  there  lies 
In  the  frank  lifting  of  his  cordial  eyes." 

The  Rev.  Robert  Young  may  be  well  described  as 
"  a  man  with  a  presence,"  he  being  gifted  with 
many  of  those  physical  advantages  which  con- 
tribute to  a  favorable  first  impression.  His  com- 
plexion is  light  and  florid.  His  features  are  regular 
and  well  proportioned,  except  the  mouth,  which  is 
rather  small,  and  gives  an  air  of  precision  to  the 
face.  This  is  redeemed  by  the  eyes,  which  have 
a  very  benevolent  expression.  The  whole  coun- 
tenance indicates  honesty  and  piety.  To  an  agree- 
able physiognomy  are  added  a  well-built,  robust, 
and  imposing  frame,  and  a  good  and  powerful 
voice.  His  elocution  is  somewhat  faulty,  he  hav- 
ing acquired  a  habit  of  giving  a  sharp,  abrupt 
enunciation  to  the  final  syllable,  and  an  internal 
reverberation  at  the  close  of  a  sentence. 

Mr.  Young  is  a  native  of  the  north  of  England. 
In  the  year  1820,  under  a  conviction  of  duty, 
wrought  in  his  mind  under  a  sermon  by  the  Rev. 
Robert  Newton,  he  offered  liimself  for  the  mission- 
ary work,  and  was  sent  first  to  Jamaica,  in  the 
West  Indies,  and  subsequently  to  Nova  Scotia, 
where  he  labored  with  good  success  for  three  years. 
As  may  readily  be  supposed,  a  missionary's  life  on 
that  station  was  attended  with  great  hardships, 
and  Mr.  Young  had  his  share.  While  he  was  fill- 
ing that  appointment  he  experienced  some  remark- 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS. 


115 


able  deliverances  from  danger  and  from  death. 
One  of  these  he  related  while  I  was  riding  with 
him  to  a  country  appointment,  eight  miles  distant 
from  Leeds,  in  a  fog  so  thick  that  we  coidd  not 
see  beyond  our  horses'  heads.  Mr.  Young  re- 
marked that  the  night  brought  to  his  recollection  an 
interposition  of  divine  Providence  on  his  behalf 
while  on  the  Nova  Scotia  mission.  He  was  re- 
turning from  night  preaching,  and  had  to  cross  a 
stream  or  river  which  was  only  fordable  at  ebb 
tide.  The  dense  fog  prevented  his  finding  the  ford  ; 
and  his  horse  soon  began  to  stumble  and  floimder 
over  the  rocks  which  formed  the  bed  of  the  river. 
Perceiving  his  error,  and  judging  that  the  animal's 
instinct  would  be  his  best  guide  out  of  the  diffi- 
culty, he  threw  the  reins  upon  his  neck,  and  by 
kind  words  encouraged  him  to  seek  a  path  for 
himself.  The  horse  was,  however,  equally  be- 
wildered by  the  fog,  and  refused  to  move.  While 
yet  pondering  over  his  dilemma,  he  heard  the  dis- 
tant roar  of  the  tide  ;  and  well  knew  that  in  a  few 
minutes  it  would  overtake  him,  and  that  if  it  did 
so  it  would  bring  ine^-itable  destruction.  The 
horse  seemed  to  have  instinctively  the  same  appre- 
hension ;  and  Mr.  Young  felt  the  animal  trembling 
under  him.  He  lifted  up  his  heart  in  prayer,  and 
was  commending  his  spirit  to  God,  when  he  heard 
from  the  opposite  side  the  voice  of  a  teamster  ar- 
resting his  team.  The  thought  flashed  upon  his 
mind  that  the  man  had  reached  the  ford,  and  had 
discovered  that  he  was  too  late  to  cross.  Mr. 


116       SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAS  PREACHERS. 

Young's  horse,  also,  seemed  to  comprehend  the 
matter,  neighed  loudly,  and,  obeying  the  whip  and 
rein,  dashed  boldly  across  the  rocky  bed  in  the 
direction  of  the  voice,  and  reached  the  opposite 
shore  just  in  time  to  save  his  own  and  his  master's 
life.    So  time  it  is, — 

"  How  are  thy  servants  blest,  O  Lord  I 
IIow  sure  is  their  defense  I 
Eternal  Wisdom  is  their  g-uide  ; 
Their  help  Omnipotence." 

Subsequently  Mr.  Young  was  again  appointed 
to  the  West  India  Islands,  where  he  was  equally 
successful  in  winning  souls  to  Christ,  and  secured, 
in  an  eminent  degree,  the  affections  of  the  poor 
slaves,  and  the  confidence  and  good-will  of  their 
masters.  In  this  sphere  of  labor  he  continued  until 
the  fell  spirit  of  persecution  was  aroused,  and  he 
and  liis  co-laborers  were,  for  a  season,  prohibited 
from  exercising  their  ministry. 

In  the  "  Wesleyan  Centenary  Takings,"  I  find 
the  following  notice  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  : — 
"  Robert  Young — a  powerful  voice,  and  in  general 
well  managed.  Good  address :  stirring — impas- 
sioned— melting — awakening.  Not  pi-ofound,  nor 
yet  lofty :  mostly  substantial.  Seems  to  stand  at 
the  entrance  of  the  way  of  life,  beseeching,  ex- 
horting, importuning,  and  pressing  the  multitude 
to  turn  the  face,  the  foot,  and  the  heart,  in  that 
direction.  Exceedingly  successful ;  but  more  po- 
pular on  the  side  of  piety  than  of  reading  and  ex- 
traordinary intellect.  'And  the  Lord  added  to 
the  church  daily  such  as  should  be  saved.'  " 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  117 

The  only  drawback  to  Mr.  Young's  excellence 
as  a  preacher  is  that  he  is  too  mechanical.  He  is, 
I  presume,  strictly  a  niemoritcr  preacher.  When 
■warmed  by  his  subject,  he  becomes  impassioned  ; 
but  is  sure  to  close  his  passages  abruptly,  like  a 
steed  suddenly  checked  by  a  strong  hand  and  curb, 
when  going  at  his  full  speed,  or  as  though  the 
rider  had  unexpectedly  come  upon  a  fence  which 
he  dared  not  leap.  He  seems  timid  about  ventur- 
ing a  single  sentence  beyond  what  he  has  prepared, 
though  he  makes  good  use  of  what  has  already 
been  elaborated  in  his  study.  The  e\-ident  caution 
with  which  he  proceeds,  especially  in  the  earher 
ponions  of  liis  discourse,  awakens  almost  an  ap- 
prehension on  his  behalf,  and  in  some  degree  with- 
draws the  hearer's  attention  from  the  subject  to 
the  man  ;  yet  it  is  soon  apparent  that  the  preacher's 
care  is  not  so  much  for  himself,  or  his  reputation, 
as  that  he  may  keep  in  the  very  centre  of  what  he 
beheves  to  be  the  direct  avenue  to  the  hearts  of 
some  of  his  congregation,  and  that  his  sole  concern 
is  that  his  ministiy  may  be  effectual  to  their  salva- 
tion. The  appUcation  of  his  sermon  is  always  for- 
cible, and  often  impetuous  and  overwhelming  :  now 
the  preacher  labors  imder  no  fear  of  getting  over 
the  Unes.  Having  reached  the  citadel  of  the  sin- 
ner's heart,  he  lifts  the  hammer  of  the  word,  and 
phes  it  vigorously  against  the  bolted  door,  blow 
following  blow  with  such  rapidity  and  force  that 
the  fortress  must  indeed  be  impregnable  if  it  yielded 
not  to  the  assault. 


118        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

In  one  particular,  Mr.  Young  is  a  pattern  for  all 
ministers.  He  preserves  the  dignity  of  the  minis- 
terial office.  In  the  pulpit,  if  he  does  not  win  the 
souls,  he  alwaj's  secures  the  respect,  of  his  audi- 
ence. All  is  solemnity,  sobriety,  and  sanctified 
decorum.  In  his  loudest  tones  and  most  impas- 
sioned moments  he  never  seems  to  forget  that  he 
holds  Ws  commission  from  J ehovah,  and  is  speaking 
in  Christ's  stead.  .  Good  taste  marks  all  his  pulpit 
and  public  exercises ;  colloquialisms,  vulgarisms, 
epigrammatic  quirks  and  quaintnesses,  never  pollute 
the  word  which  he  preaches.  Nor,  often  as  I  have 
heard  him  preach,  do  I  remember  in  the  pulpit  a 
single  allusion,  unless  commendatory,  to  any  other 
sect  of  professing  Christians — not  because  he  was 
not  competent  to  pulpit  controversy,  for  too  often 
such  are  most  prone  to  indulge  in  it,  but  that  he 
believed  the  strength  and  time  devoted  to  such 
controversy  would  be  more  successful  in  uprooting 
error  if  zealously  devoted  to  preaching,  Avith  the 
demonstration  of  the  Spirit,  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
Jesus.  One  cannot  help  thinking  that  some  preach- 
ers hold  an  opposite  opinion,  and  believe  that  the 
gospel  is  a  less  potent  weapon  for  the  world's  con- 
version than  controversy. 

The  several  small  works  which  Mr.  Young  has 
written,  give  a  just  idea  of  his  ministerial  character 
and  plans.  The  labors  of  few  Wesleyan  preachers 
have  been  more  eminently  crowned  with  success ; 
few  have  had  such  a  career  of  continuous  useful- 
ness, or  have  been  instrumental  in  the  conversion 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  119 

of  SO  many  who  have  continued  steadfast  in  the 
faith.  Mr.  Young  is  a  Boanerges,  but  that  is  not 
the  great  secret  of  his  success.  His  word  falls 
often  as  the  dew  of  heaven,  as  the  former  and  latter 
rain,  upon  the  hearts  of  his  hearers,  winning  them 
for  Christ  and  heaven.  He  is,  too,  unwearied  and 
imceasing  in  his  labors.  He  knows  no  intermission  ; 
from  the  day  he  enters  upon  his  circuit  to  the  day 
he  leaves  it — autumn,  winter,  spring,  and  summer 
— he  ceases  not  from  his  work,  and  it  is  not  at  all 
unusual  for  marked  revivals  to  continue  many 
months,  without  intermission,  in  the  circuit  where 
he  is  stationed. 

Let  me  draw  a  picture  of  Mr.  Young's  method 
of  conducting  a  Simday  evening  prayer  meeting. 
He  has  been  preaching  to  a  crowded  congregation  ; 
his  subject  has  been,  "  the  folly  and  dakger  of 
ixDECisiox."  The  large  congregation  have  sung 
the  third  hymn ;  prayer  has  been  offered  up,  the 
benediction  pronounced,  and  the  people  dismissed 
with  the  announcement  that  a  prayer  meeting  will 
immediately  be  commenced — for  the  preacher  usu- 
ally adopts  that  course,  preferring  that  those  only 
should  remain  who  desire  to  do  so.  Very  few 
comparatively  have  departed,  and  Mr.  Yoimg  de- 
scends into  the  altar  and  gives  out  four  or  five 
verses  of  a  hymn,  the  tune  of  which  is  struck  by 
some  member  of  the  congregation,  and  the  rest 
join  with  heart  and  voice  in  singing.  Before  prayer 
is  commenced,  (the  official  brethren  having  come 
into  the  neighborhood  of  the  altar  while  the  hymn 


120        SKETCITES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

was  being  sung,)  the  preacher  addresses  a  few  re- 
marks on  the  design  of  the  prayer  meeting,  encourag- 
ing rather  than  urging  any  who  desire  to  obtain  me  rcy 
to  come  to  the  communion  rails.  He  then  calls 
by  name  upon  two  brethren  to  pray,  and  probably 
goes  into  the  body  of  the  house  to  invite  to  the 
altar  any  who  may  seem  to  be  seriously  disposed. 
When  the  brethren  called  upon  are  engaged  in 
prayer,  the  minister  gives  out  a  couple  of  verses 
from  the  Methodist  hymn-hook,  which  are  sung  to 
some  tune  known  to  all  tlie  congregation,  who 
always  rise  and  join  in  the  sinyiny.  Thus,  instead 
of  being  lookers  on,  or  mere  listeners,  they  them- 
selves take  part  in  the  exercise,  and  preserve  within 
their  own  hearts,  by  participation,  the  hallowed 
emotions  incident  to  the  occasion.  Those  who 
approach  the  altar  are  counseled  and  prayed  with 
by  the  senior  brethren.  After  prayer  the  preacher 
again  selects  a  verse  or  two  of  an  appropriate  hymn, 
again  the  people  rise  from  their  knees  (the  peni- 
tents alone  remaining  prostrate)  and  join  in  the 
singing,  and,  if  deemed  desirable,  the  minister  se- 
lects a  brother  to  give  a  short  exhortation,  or  calls 
again  upon  two  to  pray,  sometimes  selecting  such 
as  are  not  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  altar.  This 
order  is  preserved  until  nine  o'clock,  when  the 
meeting  is  dismissed  with  the  announcement  that 
it  will  be  continued  (if  it  appear  desirable)  an  hour 
longer ;  but  the  younger  members  of  the  congre- 
gation are  requested  to  go  to  their  homes.  Some 
heads  of  families  will,  at  this  junctiu-e,  retire  with 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  121 

their  families,  that  family  worship  may  be  perform- 
ed before  the  younger  branches  retire  to  rest.  The 
meeting  then  continues  as  before.  Mr.  Young 
generally  stays  to  the  close ;  indeed,  I  do  not  re- 
member ever  to  have  seen  him  leave  a  prayer 
meeting,  though  it  should  contmue  until  eleven 
o'clock,  or  even  till  midnight. 

Meantime  the  penitents  are  properly  cared  for, 
and  as  one  after  another  finds  peace,  it  is  pubHcly 
annoimced,  and  all  join  in  singing, 

"  Praise  God  from  whom  all  blessings  flow," 

pealed  forth  with  a  heartiness  which  shows  that 
all  sympathize  with  the  ransomed  soul,  and  re- 
joice in  its  deliverance.  Mr.  Young  is  always 
careful  to  secure  the  name  and  residence  of  every 
seeker  of  salvation,  and  each  is  furnished  with  a 
list  of  the  class  leaders,  and  the  place  and  time  of 
each  class  meetuig.  Diu-ing  the  week  they  are 
visited  by  a  preacher's  class  leader,  who  ascertains 
what  time  is  most  convenient  for  them  to  attend 
that  means  of  grace,  and  they  aie  directed  accord- 
mgly.  I  cannot  do  better  than  recommend  to  the- 
reader  Mr.  Young's  small  volume —  The  Import- 
ance of  Prayer  Meetings  in  promothuj  Revivals  of 
EcUffton,  pubhshed  at  the  Methodist  Book  Con- 
cern, where  the  plans  he  uniformly  acts  upon  are 
defined  and  defended  ;  and  earnestly  too  would  I 
recommend  to  all  who  feel  an  interest  in  the  ex- 
tension of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom,  the  perusal  of 
his  Si'pffestions  for  the  Conversion  of  the  World. 


122        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEVAN  PREACHERS. 


JBanicl  Isaac. 

"  His  words  are  strong,  but  not  witli  anger  fraught ; 
A  lore  benignant  he  hath  lived  and  taught." — Chaucer. 

"  Fearless  lie  is  and  scorning  all  disguise  ; 
What  lie  dares  do  or  think,  thougli  men  may  start, 
He  speaks  with  mild  yet  unaveited  eyes." — Cowper. 

The  Methodist  ministry  lias  always  been  distin- 
guished for  diversity  of  personal  cliaracter  and 
variety  of  talents  and  acquirements.  Men  of  high 
and  of  low  degree,  blessed  Avith  worldly  compe- 
tence or  familiar  with  poverty — of  classic  taste  or 
of  ruder  mind — sons  of  thunder  and  sons  of  conso- 
lation— from  the  plough  and  from  the  mechanic's 
shop — from  all  sorts  and  conditions  of  men  has 
Methodism  selected  its  ministry,  and  its  vast  agency 
for  promoting  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  in  the 
earth.  Hitherto  it  has  consideied  sterling  and 
estabUshed  piety,  and  strong  practical  good  sense, 
the  principal  requisites  for  the  successful  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel,  adding  to  these  other  qualifica- 
tions as  circumstances  might  justify  or  demand. 
It  has  thus  always  met  the  wants  of  the  multitude, 
and  yet  has  produced  some  of  the  greatest  orna- 
ments of  their  times.  If  Methodism  were  given  to 
boasting,  it  might  assert  its  claim  to  one  of  the 
greatest  linguists  England  ever  had,  more  than  one 
perfect  natural  orator,  and  theologians  worthy  of 
the  days  of  the  Puritans.  The  last  generation  of 
Methodist  preachers  embraced  many  men  of  extra- 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  123 

ordinary  natural  talents  and  great  acquirements  ; 
Bradbum,  and  Benson,  and  Clarke,  and  Watson, 
and  Isaac,  and  Lcssey,  and  others  who  have  enter- 
ed into  their  rest ;  and  Biuitmg,  and  Newton,  and 
Atherton,  and  Beaumont,  and  others  who  diligently 
labor  in  word  and  doctrine,  looking  for  the  coming 
of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

The  memory  of  the  Rev.  Daniel  Isaac  is  blessed. 
All  who  knew  him  venerated  him,  not  less  for  his 
high  integrity  and  his  genuine  kindness  of  heart, 
than  for  the  masculine,  massive  character  of  his 
mind.  He  entered  the  itinerancy  in  1799,  and 
closed  his  labors  and  life  in  the  city  of  York  in 
1834.  He  was  somewhat  remarkable  ia  his  per- 
sonal appearance ;  of  about  the  middle  stature,  of 
a  sallow  and  imbrowned  complexion,  of  strong  and 
hea^y  frame,  narrow  shouldered,  though  otherwise 
muscidar.  The  countenance  strongly  indicated  the 
man.  Tlie  forehead  was  high  rather  than  wide, 
and  until  the  latter  years  of  his  Ufe  additional  ap- 
parent altitude  was  given  to  it  by  a  premature 
baldness  of  the  upper  or  front  part  of  the  head. 
When  subsequently  the  penike-maker  had  been 
employed  to  remedy  the  defect,  the  intellectuality 
of  the  Avhole  was  sadly  marred.  The  eye  was  pe- 
ciihar — a  dark  pupil  in  the  centre  of  an  \musually 
light  gray  ring,  combining  the  expression  of  soft- 
ness, quickness,  and  penetration.  The  mouth  was 
very  expressive — the  under  Up  slightly  pouted,  and 
the  whole  cynical  in  its  character.  His  dress  was 
unlike  the  dress  of  his  brethren,  and  altogether 


124        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

at  variance  with  clerical  usage.  His  most  com- 
mon apparel  comprised  a  black  straw  or  chip  hat, 
drab  nether  garments,  white  or  gray  hose,  strong 
shoes  with  leather  ties,  and  an  olive  brown  coat. 
Sometimes  he  appeared  in  the  pulpit,  as  well  as  in 
the  street,  with  the  further  peculiarity  of  a  colored 
neckerchief  and  parti-colored  vest.  After  having 
seen  Mr.  Isaac,  and  listened  to  his  caustic  severity 
on  men  and  manners,  it  was  almost  impossible  to 
avoid  associating  the  idea  of  the  ancient  cynic  with 
the  modern  "  polemic  divine." 

Yet  with  an  excess  of  apparent  and  much  real 
sternness  of  character,  there  were  also  great  native 
generosity  and  kindness,  even  tenderness,  in  Mr. 
Isaac's  disposition ;  and  these  were  manifest  to  all 
in  whom  he  had  confidence  and  on  whose  sterling 
worth  he  relied.  He  was  a  faithful,  steadfast,  sym- 
pathizing friend.  The  harsher  features  of  the  man 
were  sho^vn  only  to  the  affected  and  vain  ;  to  those 
who  walked  on  stilts,  so  to  speak,  and  plumed 
themselves  upon  exterior  proprieties  at  the  expense 
of  a  true  and  manly  excellence  and  the  more  solid 
virtues.  To  voluntary  humility  on  the  one  hand, 
and  to  overweening  pride  on  the  other,  he  was  an 
uncompromising  foe  ;  but  in  the  social  circle,  among 
those  whom  he  knew  and  loved,  he  was  affectionate 
and  pleasant,  and  dehghted  in  sallies  of  wit  and 
good  humor.  Mr.  Everett,  his  biographer,  says  of 
him,  that  with  a  pipe  in  his  mouth,  a  basin  of  milk 
before  him,  and  a  little  toast,  often  brovraed  by 
himself,  broken  into  fragments  and  fished  up  out 


SKETCHES  OF  \rESLETAN  PREACHERS.  125 

of  the  liquid  with  the  point  of  his  penknife,  as  his 
evening  repast,  he  en^^ed  not  the  luxury  of  a  court, 
but  threw  a  sunshine  of  comfort  around  the  social 
circle,  and  could  even  enjoy  the  opposition  and  the 
puns  of  an  anti-pipeite.  On  just  such  an  occasion 
an  elderly  lady  entered  the  room  where  he  was  sit- 
ting, and  seeing  him  enjoying  his  pipe,  lifted  up  her 
hands,  as  though  shocked  at  the  sight  of  so  much 
self-indulgence,  and  exclaimed,  "Ah,  Mr.  Isaac, 
you  are  at  your  idol  again."  Looking  up  at  her, 
with  a  quiet,  demure  expression,  he  rephed,  "  Yes, 
madam,  I 'm  burning  it." 

Mr.  Isaac  was,  without  doubt,  ardently  attached 
to  the  itinerancy,  but  even  his  "  traveling  "  had  its 
peciUiarities.  WTiile  most  of  the  preachers  prefer- 
red equestrian  exercise  when  ^^siting  the  distant 
parts  of  their  circuits,  he  was  always  a  pedestrian 
from  choice,  and  might  often  be  seen  in  summer  on 
the  pubhc  highway,  his  vest  unbuttoned,  his  coat 
laid  over  his  arm,  and  his  glazed  hat  in  his  hand, 
trudging  cheerfully  to  his  "  appointment,"  the  very 
picture  of  a  hardy,  contented  fanner,  caring  for 
nothing  among  men  but  to  maintain  his  independ- 
ence. His  style  of  preaching  was  also  unique. 
He  copied  from  no  man  in  anything,  and  in  the 
pulpit  was  as  fearless  in  the  expression  of  his 
views  as  in  private  Ufe.  He  often  disregarded  the 
mere  textual  division  of  a  passage,  and  expatiated 
with  great  force  on  its  doctiine  or  sentiment.  It 
was  a  defect  m  his  preaching,  that  while  the  truth 
from  his  lips  struck  with,  sledge-hammer  force  upon 


126       SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


the  conscience  and  judgment  of  the  hearer,  the 
sermon  lacked  that  persuasive  tenderness  by  which, 
perhaps  more  than  in  any  other  way,  sinners  are 
brought  to  lay  down  the  weapons  of  their  rebellion, 
and  seek  reconciliation  with  God. 

Mr.  Isaac  seemed  to  be  more  immediately  "  set 
for  the  defense  of  the  truth,"  and  wo  be  to  the 
man  who  dared  to  assail  religion  while  he  was  on 
guard.  Not  that  he  contented  himself  with  de- 
fense merely ;  he  was  mighty  in  attack  as  well  as 
bold  in  defense  ;  after  driving  the  enemy  from  the 
walls  of  the  citadel,  he  would  make  a  vigorous 
sortie  upon  his  forces,  drive  them  from  the  strong- 
hold of  unbelief,  and  bringing  all  his  powers  to 
bear  upon  the  rebellious  citadel,  would  use  the  bat- 
tering ram  with  such  systematic,  continuous  force, 
that  the  breach  was  sure  to  be  effected  whether  the 
enemy  jielded  or  not.  The  writer  well  remembers 
a  sermon  Mr.  Isaac  preached  in  Brunswick  Chapel, 
Leeds,  on  the  duty  of  union  with  the  church  of 
Christ,  irrespective  of  denominational  distinctions, 
in  which  he  combated  the  various  objections  urged 
against  church  fellowship.  Some  of  these  were 
summarily  disposed  of  as  the  mere  subterfuges  of 
a  man  not  bold  enough  to  be  honest ;  and  then 
he  took  up  the  common  excuse  that  the  church  is 
not  what  it  professes  to  be,  and  that  its  members 
are  far  from  being  as  good  as  they  ought  to  be. 
This  sermon  was  subsequently  published.  The 
following  are  nearly  the  very  words  in  which  this 
excuse  was  dealt  with : — 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  127 

"  You  pretend,"  said  he,  "  that  the  church  is  not 
good  enough.  Some  of  its  members,  you  say,  do 
not  live  up  to  their  profession,  but  with  all  the 
noise  they  make  about  religion,  are  very  loose  in 
their  morals.  You  tell  us  that  you  hate  hypocrisy, 
and  affirm,  that  if  you  were  to  join  us,  you  would 
act  a  consistent  part.  The  objection  contains  two 
causes  of  regret.  The  first  is,  that  there  should 
be  some  defective  characters  in  the  church.  Our 
Saviour,  however,  has  assured  us  that  some  tares 
will  grow  up  with  the  wheat,  and  that  both  must 
grow  together  until  the  harvest,  or  judgment.  The 
gospel  net  incloses  a  great  multitude  of  different 
kinds  of  fish,  and  must  be  drawn  to  the  shores  of 
eternity  before  the  final  separation  is  made,  when 
the  good  will  be  gathered  into  vessels  and  the  bad 
be  cast  away.  In  the  present  state  of  things,  how- 
ever desirable  it  may  be  to  find  a  perfect  church,  it 

is  impossible  ;  the  hypocrites  may  serve 

as  a  beacon  to  warn  you  against  unfaithfulness. 
With  all  its  defects,  however,  the  church  is  su- 
perior to  the  world  in  supplying  examples  of  holi- 
ness and  the  means  of  attaining  it   Now 

you  boggle  at  the  church  because  it  is  not  quite 
perfect,  and  in  the  mean  time  remain  in  fellowship 
with  the  world.  You  profess  to  be  religious,  and 
your  religion  seems  to  consist  in  little  else  than 
vihfying  the  character  of  pious  people,  as  though 
it  would  be  a  reproach  to  you  to  abandon  such  as 
make  no  profession  for  the  sake  of  enjoying  their 
society. 


128        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

"  The  other  cause  of  regret  is  that  so  shining  a 
Christian  as  you  would  make,  if  you  were  but 
among  us,  should  deny  us  the  benefit  of  your  fel- 
lowship and  example.  You  would  live  up  to  your 
profession.  In  your  character  there  would  be 
neither  spot  nor  blemish,  nor  any  such  thing.  You 
would  be  a  perfect  Christian.  Why,  you  are  the 
very  man  we  need.  You  would  make  us  ashamed 
of  ourselves.  Such  a  prodigy  of  piety  would  soon 
work  miracles  among  us,  and  rouse  the  most  slug- 
gish to  imitate  such  resplendent  virtue  ;  and  as  for 
hypocrites,  the  most  impenitent  among  them  would 
not  have  face  enough  to  look  upon  such  a  paragon 
of  purity,  but  Avould  flee  from  your  presence  as 
the  Israehtes  did  from  Moses  when  he  came  down 
from  the  mount  irradiated  with  divine  glory.  0 
thou  detestable  hypocrite !  to  prate  about  God's 
children,  and  undertake  to  hector  them  for  coming 
shoi't  of  perfection,  when  thou  art  thyself  in  league 
with  sin,  and  canst  not  be  persuaded  to  forsake  it ; 
art  seldom  on  thy  knees  praying  to  God  secretly, 
and  perhaps  never  worshiping  with  thy  family; 
and  art  all  the  while  aflfecting  to  be  too  holy  for 
the  society  of  those  who,  to  say  the  least  of  it,  are 
endeavoring  to  '  work  out  their  salvation  with  fear 
and  trembling.'  You  are  very  holy,  no  doubt ;  but 
it  looks  a  little  suspicious  that  you  dechne  the  society 
of  saints,  and  prefer  the  fellowship  of  sinners." 

Having  indulged  in  this  irony  for  some  time, 
with  an  expression  of  contempt  and  scorn  beyond 
description,  he  rested  his  left  elbow  upon  the  Bible, 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  129 

and,  leaning  over  the  front  of  the  pulpit,  heaped 
warning  upon  rebuke,  with  a  force  of  language 
which  few  men  could  surpass. 

Once  he  preached  in  Carver-street  Chapel, 
Sheffield,  from,  "Lord,  thou  knowest  all  things; 
thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee  f  and  with  great 
force  commented  upon  the  infidelities  of  professing 
Christians.  As  he  approached  the  apphcation  of 
his  discourse,  his  dissatisfaction  with  the  state  of 
the  church  seemed  to  increase  ;  his  eye  flashed ; 
his  lower  lip  assumed  a  pouting  expression,  the 
sure  sign  that  a  storm  of  sarcastic  rebuke  was 
gathering;  and  he  stood  erect  in  the  pulpit. 
"  Why,"  he  exclaimed,  "  even  in  your  classes, 
among  yourselves,  how  seldom  is  an  open,  un- 
equivocal avowal  of  your  love  to  Christ  heard ! 
You  talk  about  loving  Christ  'in  a  measure.'  I 
should  Uke  to  know  what  kind  of  a  measure  )''ou  use  ; 
for  I  fear  your  love  would  not  crack  a  nutshell  if  it 
were  forced  into  it.  But  says  one,  '  I  hope  I  do 
love  God  :  I  trust  I  love  the  Lord  sincerely ;'  and 
you  quote  sickly  poetry  to  confirm  your  hope : — 

'  'Tis  a  point  I  long  to  know. 
Oft  it  causes  anxious  tliought, 
Do  I  love  the  Lord,  or  no  ? 
Am  I  his,  or  am  I  not  ?' 

Wretched  poetry,  and  worse  divinity  !  Away  with 
such  twaddle  !  What  would  you  think  of  a  mo- 
ther thus  addressing  her  infant  ? 

'  'Tis  a  point  I  long  to  know, 

Oft  it  causes  anxious  thought, 
Do  I  love  my  child,  or  no  ? 


130        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS, 

And  yet  you  are  gxiilty  of  the  much  greater  ab- 
surdity." 

During  the  stay  of  Mr.  Isaac  in  that  circuit  the 
people  were  favored  with  tokens  of  the  divine  pre- 
sence, and  some  of  the  members  of  the  society,  in 
lively  gratitude  for  the  "  promise  of  a  shower," 
were  wont  to  say  "amen,"  in  an  audible  voice 
while  the  minister  prayed  that 

 "the  Lord  would  shortly  pour 

All  the  spirit  of  his  grace  ;" 

and  even  went  so  far  as  to  utter  a  like  response 
during  the  sermon,  when  the  preacher  mingled  an 
ejaculatory  prayer  with  the  more  didactic  portions 
of  his  discourse.  In  the  estimation  of  some,  this 
was  an  unjustifiable,  if  not  unpardonable,  interrup- 
tion to  the  train  of  placid  thought  in  which  their 
own  unmoved  hearts  were  wont  to  indulge ;  and 
complaints  were  made  to  the  trustees  and  stewards, 
accompanied  by  an  intimation  that  unless  the 
"  disturbances  "  were  abated  they  (certain  wealthy 
members,  who  paid  handsome  rents  for  their  pews) 
would  be  compelled  to  leave  the  church.  This 
being  a  rather  serious  matter,  the  trustees  repre- 
sented the  case  to  Mr.  Isaac ;  and  hinted  that  the 
loss  of  the  complainants  would,  financially,  be  a 
misfortune.  Mr.  Isaac  heard  all  without  mo\'ing 
a  muscle  of  his  face,  and  then  briefly  remarked, 
"  Leave  it  to  me,  brethren.  I  '11  try  to  put  the 
matter  right  on  Sunday  morning."  This  was  at 
the  beginning  of  tlie  week ;  and  as  the  tnistees 
were  much  pleased  with  the  prospect  of  the 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAK  PREACHERS.  131 


matter  being  "  put  right,"  and  taking  it  for  granted 
that  the  promise  implied  all  they  wished,  they 
could  not  forbear  apprising  the  complaining  parties 
of  what  the  "superintendent"  had  said;  and  their 
joy  at  the  information  being  verj'  great,  must  needs 
also  find  utterance ;  so  that  by  Saturday  night  it 
was  pretty  generally  understood  that  "  Mr.  Isaac 
was  going  to  put  down  those  shouters  " — that  being 
the  conclusion  to  which  all  parties  came,  as  by 
common  consent.  As  for  those  against  whom  the 
terrible  batteiy  of  his  irony  was  to  be  directed, 
they  scarcely  dared  to  open  their  lips,  and  were  so 
cast  down  that  they  hesitated  about  being  present 
at  the  morning  preaching,  albeit  they  were  good 
men  and  true,  and  loved  the  ministry  of  the  life- 
giving  word.  They  abided  by  their  principles, 
however,  and  were  in  their  accustomed  seats ;  but 
though  Mr.  Isaac  prayed  with  unusual  fervor,  their 
responses  were  "few  and  far  between."  Under 
the  fear  of  man,  they  Avere  ensnared,  to  their  ow-n 
hurt : 

"  Hosannas  lang^iish'd  on  their  tongues. 
And  their  devotion  died."' 

The  congregation  was  large,  and  an  undefinable 
excitement  pervaded  it.  The  text  was  annomiced  : 
"Let  all  thinf/s  he  done  decently  and  in  order." 
Significant  glances  were  exchanged.  The  response- 
makers  hung  down  their  heads,  and  the  anti- 
response  members  lifted  up  theirs,  while  the 
neutrals  looked  compassionately  at  the  "  noisy 
brethren,"  and  then  at  the  preacher,  as  though 


132        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

they  would  beseech  him  not  to  be  too  severe,  see- 
ing that  the  offenders  were  good  Christians,  and 
reall}'  meant  well,  though  they  did  say  "  amen  "  in 
a  louder  tone  than  some  others.  ''Let  all  thinr/a 
he  done  decently  and  in  order,"  repeated  the  preach- 
er, looking  leisurely  round  upon  the  large  audience, 
as  though  he  would  ask  who  disputed  the  apos- 
tolic injunction.  "  No  one  here,"  said  he,  "  dis- 
putes the  authority  of  the  rule,  or  doubts  its  ap- 
plicability to  the  public  worship  of  God.  We 
will  therefore  at  once  enter  upon  the  inquiry,  What 
is  the  order  here  enjoined  by  the  Head  of  the 
church,  adhered  to  by  the  primitive  Christians,  and 
still  obligatory  upon  the  church  of  Christ  ?"  He 
then  showed  that  in  the  apostolic  age,  in  the  days 
of  the  "  fathers,"  even  amid  the  corruptions  of 
the  Papal  Church,  and  especially  in  the  purer  and 
more  evangelical  periods  of  the  church's  history, 
the  plan  of  responding  to  petitions  addressed  to 
the  throne  of  the  heavenly  Grace  was  universally 
adopted.  The  surprise  of  the  congregation  was 
xmbounded.  Those  who  enjoyed  a  sincere  and 
audible  response  were  rejoiced  ;  those  who  did  not 
were  compelled  to  submit ;  and,  as  Mr.  Isaac  had 
promised,  the  matter  was  from  that  time  "  put 
right."  That  sermon  was  the  nucleus  of  his 
popular  essay  on  the  word  "  amen." 

An  instance  of  the  indignant  and  sarcastic  se- 
verity with  which  he  sometimes  reproved  open 
profanity  occurred  while  he  was  stationed  in  the 
Sheffield  circuit.    An  infidel  bookseller,  copying, 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  133 

and  probably  emboldened  by,  the  example  of  a 
London  tradesman  of  infamous  memory,  exhibited 
in  his  shop  window  a  hideous  and  obscene  picture, 
as  a  representation  of  the  sacred  Trinity  ;  and,  sui-- 
passing  the  metropolitan  in  utter  and  shameless 
profanity,  attached  a  label  to  the  picture,  to  the 
efl'ect  that  a  portrait  of  the  devil  was  wanted  as  a 
companion  picture.  This  caught  Mr.  Isaac's  eye 
as  he  passed,  and  his  righteous  anger  was  awaken- 
ed. Stepping  into  a  grocer's  shop  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  street,  he  asked  for  pen,  ink,  and  paper, 
and  hastily  scrawhng  these  words,  addressed  them 
to  the  ofiFender :  "  Sir,  if  you  want  a  portrait  of  the 
devil,  get  your  own  taken ;  for  who  so  Uke  the 
father  as  the  son? — D.  Isaac."  "There,"  said 
Mr.  I.  to  the  clerk,  "  just  take  that  to  the  ^^le  fel- 
low across  the  way."  The  young  man  dechned,  per- 
haps thinking  it  unneighborlj',  or  fearing  an  unplea- 
sant result.  "Then  I '11  take  it,"  said  Mr.  Isaac.  The 
message  was  soon  noised  abroad,  for  the  grocer  told 
many  of  his  friends  ;  and,  in  the  com-se  of  the  day, 
first  one  vagrant  boy,  and  then  another  Avicked 
urchin,  would  put  his  head  just  inside  the  door  of  the 
infidel's  shop,  in  the  window  of  which  the  offensive 
requisition  was  still  suspended,  and  call  out,  "  Get 
your  own  taken,  for  who  so  like  the  father  as  the 
son?"  On  the  following  day,  quite  a  crowd  of 
youngsters  was  assembled,  and  the  inquiry  was 
repeated  in  almost  every  possible  modulation  of 
voice,  until  the  wretched  man  was  so  annoyed  that 
he  called  in  the  aid  of  the  poUce.    This  but  in- 


134        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

creased  the  notoriety  of  the  rebuke,  and  that  again 
swelled  the  numbers  of  the  crowd.  The  public 
feeling,  too,  was  with  the  boys,  for  common  de- 
cency had  been  outraged.  The  result  was,  that  in 
the  course  of  two  or  three  days  the  man  was  obliged 
to  close  his  shop  and  decamp,  unable  to  withstand 
the  torrent  of  ridicule  and  contempt  which  Mr. 
Isaac  had  been  the  means  of  turning  upon  him. 

Though  of  no  circumscribed  fame  as  a  preacher, 
it  Avas,  perhaps,  by  his  controversial  writings  that 
the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  most  widely  known, 
I  think  his  earliest  publication  made  its  appearance 
in  1802  or  1803,  bearing  the  title,  "  Universal  Re- 
storafion  Refuted,  in  a  Series  of  Letters  addressed 
to  Mr.  W.  Vidler."  This  Mr.  Vidler  Aisited  a  place 
in  the  Lynn  circuit,  when  Mr.  Isaac  was  stationed 
there,  and,  while  advocating  his  peculiar  doctrines, 
took  frequent  occasion,  as  was  common  in  that  day, 
to  heap  abuse  and  calumny  upon  the  Methodists. 
The  attention  of  Mr.  Isaac  was  drawn  to  the  sub- 
ject ;  he  took  an  opportimity  of  hearing  for  himself, 
made  memoranda  of  vaiious  points,  called  upon 
Mr.  Vidler  with  the  notes  the  following  morning  ; 
and  that  gentleman  having  acknowledged  their  ac- 
curacy, Mr.  Isaac  apprised  him  that  he  regarded 
his  doctrines  as  of  so  injurious  a  tendency,  that  he 
deemed  it  his  duty  to  guard  his  congregation 
against  them  ;  and  that  with  an  honest  desire  not 
to  misrepresent  Mr.  Vidler's  sentiments,  he  had 
called  upon  him  for  the  confirmation  of  what  he 
supposed  him  to  teach.    The  course  taken  by  Mr. 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  135 

Isaac  ■was  like  himself,  for  he  was  as  proverbially- 
candid  in  stating  an  opponent's  ^^e■^vs,  as  he  was 
severe  in  controverting  them.  This  publication, 
which  is  said  to  have  borne  the  palpable  impress 
of  his  ^^gorous  mind,  has  been  more  than  once 
reprinted  in  this  country. 

In  1809  he  pubhshed  a  small  volume  of  ser- 
mons, on  the  "  Person  of  Jesus  Christ,"  of  which 
it  has  been  with  truth  remarked,  that  "  in  them  the 
divinity  of  the  Son  of  God  is  established  by  Scrip- 
tural evidence,  and  by  a  process  of  reasoning  rarely 
brought  to  bear  upon  the  subject  in  so  small  a 
compass." 

Mr.  Isaac's  next  work,  and  that  which  will  pro- 
bably be  the  most  permanent,  as  of  all  his  Avritings 
it  had,  during  his  lifetime,  the  widest  popularity, 
was  his  Ecclesiastical  Claims  Investigated.  It  was 
printed  in  Edinburgh,  in  1815.  It  has  passed 
through  several  editions,  but  has  not,  I  believe, 
been  republished  in  America.  It  consists  of  five 
essays,  treating  respectively  of  uninterrupted  suc- 
cession, ordination,  the  spiritual  gifts  and  powers 
of  the  clergy,  learning  and  ministerial  qualifications. 
The  preface  plainly  indicates  that  the  author  had 
no  intention  to  treat  the  subject  with  unnecessary 
tenderness.  The  design  of  the  publication  was 
conceived  soon  after  the  defeat  of  \'  Lord  Sidmouth's 
bill,"  and  its  execution  was  hastened  by  a  new  in- 
terpretation given  to  the  "Act  of  Toleration,"  by 
which,  as  the  author  contended,  religious  liberty 
was  reduced  to  nearly  a  cypher.   Any  infringement 


136 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


of  liberty  was  sure  to  find  in  Mr.  Isaac  a  fearless 
and  uncompromising  foe.  His  soul  abhorred  in- 
tolerance and  tyranny  in  every  form  or  association. 
He  was  both  active  and  successful  in  opposing  the 
bill  of  Lord  Sidmouth.  His  advice,  during  those 
days  of  an.\iety,  when  Dissenters  of  every  grade 
were  alarmed  for  the  safety  of  their  dearest  rights, 
— the  wisdom  with  which  he  drew  up  a  series  of 
resolutions  for  adoption  at  a  meeting  of  Wesleyan 
Methodists,  and  the  influence  of  his  example,  pointed 
him  out  at  once  as  a  "  leader  unto  the  people."  The 
same  jealousy  of  encroachment  showed  itself  in 
reference  to  all  merely  sectional  and  local  mat- 
ters. 

Soon  after  the  defeat  of  that  vile  attempt  to  de- 
stroy religious  liberty  in  Great  Britain,  and  to  re- 
establish the  waning  supremacy  of  the  hierarchy 
of  the  Established  Church — which  defeat  was  ow- 
ing in  a  great  degree  to  the  vigorous  measures 
adopted  by  the  Wesleyan  committee  of  privileges, 
and  to  the  personal  exertions  of  Dr.  Adam  Clarke, 
Mr.  Isaac,  Mr.  Bunting,  and  others,  in  carrying 
out  those  measures  —  a  new  interpretation  was 
given  to  the  Act  of  Toleration,  simultaneously  at 
every  quarter-sessions  in  the  kingdom,  with  one 
or  two  exceptions,  in  consequence  of  which  all  ap- 
plications for  license  to  preach  were  refused  to  Me- 
thodists on  the  technical  objection  that  the  act  was 
not  designed  to  embrace  them,  and  extended  only 
to  those  who  were  openly,  avowedly,  and  conscien- 
tiously Dissenters.     This  sudden  and  universal 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS.  187 


change  in  the  interpretation  of  that  act  by  the  ma- 
gistracy of  the  land  was  at  first  incomprehensible, 
but  the  mystery  was  shortly  solved  as  it  was  as- 
certained that  a  circular  had  been  sent  to  every 
court,  instriicting  the  magistrates  in  this  new  read- 
ing, said  circular  emanating  from  the  concocters 
and  abettors  of  the  defeated  bill,  notwithstanding 
the  repeated  avowal,  by  the  same  parties  in  parlia- 
ment, that  no  infi-ingement  of  the  rehgious  rights 
and  privileges  of  any  denomination  was  intended 
by  it.  This  attempt  to  do  that  by  underhand 
practice  which  they  had  publicly  disavowed,  ex- 
cited Mr.  Isaac's  alarm  and  indignation,  and  was 
with  him  the  moving  cause  in  writing  his  "  Eccle- 
siastical Claims ;"  for  though  the  Methodists  and 
Dissenters  had  demanded  and  obtained  a  new 
toleration  act,  yet  Mr.  Isaac  rightly  concluded  that 
it  was  best  more  fully  to  secure  public  opinion  in 
behalf  of  the  principles  of  religious  liberty,  as  the 
only  guaranty  that  the  rights  of  conscience  should 
continue  to  be  protected.  He  observes  :  "  Acts 
of  parhament  are  of  very  little  consequence  if  not 
supported  by  public  opinion.  When  the  sense  of 
the  nation  is  opposed  to  them,  they  will  soon 
grow  obsolete  or  be  repealed."  Nor  did  he  like 
the  preamble  to  the  new  act,  which  avowed  that 
the  measure  was  framed  solely  on  principles  of 
expediency  —  "Whereas  it  is  expedient,"  ic. — so 
that  could  pubUc  opinion  be  enhsted  against  reh- 
gious freedom,  the  expediency  would  be  declared 
no  longer  to  exist,  the  act  would  be  repealed,  and 


138        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

the  Act  of  Unifonnity  would  be  revived.  More- 
over, while  much  had  been  said  in  parliament  and 
elsewhere  in  favor  of  religious  liberty,  yet  was 
there  nothing,  either  in  the  old  or  new  act  of  tolera- 
tion, distinctly  recognizing  the  rights  of  conscience  ; 
and  Mr.  Isaac  saw  that  in  the  absence  of  such  re- 
cognition by  the  law  of  the  land — while  indeed  a 
declaratory  preamble  negatived  those  rights  by 
placing  the  passage  of  the  act  on  the  basis  of  ex- 
pediency— there  was  security  for  the  permanence 
of  religious  liberty  only  in  enlightened  public  opi- 
nion. To  that  tribunal  he  made  his  appeal ;  and 
never,  perhaps,  were  great  principles  more  summa- 
rily dealt  with,  nor  long-established  usages  more 
unceremoniously  beaten  to  the  ground.  This  is 
not  the  place  to  enter  into  a  discussion  or  analysis 
of  Mr.  Isaac's  arguments  in  this  book.  Suffice  it 
to  say,  that  the  severity  of  its  tone,  the  fearless- 
ness of  its  rebukes,  its  unsparing  and  almost  mer- 
ciless invectives,  and  its  bold  and  well-sustained 
claims  for  the  equal  right  of  all  preachers  of  the 
gospel  to  minister  in  holy  things  without  interrup- 
tion, at  once  startled  the  community  and  excited 
general  attention.  Although  the  sentiments  of  the 
author  could  not  properly  be  said  to  involve  the 
body  of  which  he  was  a  member,  yet  there  is  al- 
ways, in  such  a  case,  a  tendency  in  the  public 
mind  to  attribute  to  the  body  opinions  which  a 
prominent  member  deliberately  publishes,  especi- 
ally when  the  position  of  the  body,  in  reference  to 
the  subject  discussed,  is  somewhat  doubtful,  as 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHEKS.  139 

■was  the  case  with  the  British  Conference  of  the 
Wesleyan  Methodists. 

The  pertinacity  with  which  both  Churchmen  and 
Dissenters  persisted  in  attributing  the  sentiments 
avowed  by  Mr.  Isaac,  in  reference  to  the  principle 
of  an  estabhshed  church,  to  his  brethren  in  the 
ministry,  gave  many  of  them  considerable  annoj'- 
ance,  they  not  holding  his  extreme  views — many 
dissenting  from  them  totally — and,  perhaps,  all 
disapproving  of  the  severe  and  uncourteous  lan- 
guage of  many  parts  of  the  book.  It  is  doubtful, 
however,  whether  the  Conference  would  officially 
have  taken  notice  of  the  matter  but  for  the  follow- 
ing circumstances.  Mr.  Isaac  desired  to  advertise 
his  work  in  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  Magazine.  A 
committee,  appointed  annually  by  the  Conference, 
is  charged  with  the  oversight  of  all  advertisements 
and  other  business  matters  connected  with  the 
Magazine,  who,  after  due  dehberation,  judged  it 
best  to  refuse  the  apphcation,  principally  on  the 
groimd  that  the  announcement  of  such  a  book  by 
a  Methodist  preacher,  through  the  Methodist  Maga- 
zine, the  recognized  organ  of  the  body,  might  be 
constiixed  into  an  approval  of  its  contents  and  its 
spirit ;  or  that  at  least  it  would  be  a  tacit  acknow- 
ledgment that  it  was  not  deemed  objectionable, 
since  a  paragraph  stands  at  the  head  of  the  ad- 
vertising sheet,  advising  the  public  that  a  supervi- 
sory power  is  exercised.  At  any  rate  the  com- 
mittee had  a  right  to  exclude  the  advertisement 
if  they  thought  proper ;  and,  perhaps,  under  the 


140       SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

circumstances  they  acted  wisely,  and  in  accordance 
with  their  responsibiUty  to  the  Conference.  The 
dispute  between  the  Dissenters  and  the  friends  of 
the  Established  Church  Avas  then  running  very 
high.  The  Wesleyan  Conference  had  always  stood 
aloof  from  the  quarrel ;  and  the  committee  as  faith- 
ful stewards  were  bovmd  to  take  this  fact  into  con- 
sideration. Mr.  Isaac,  however,  felt  aggrieved  by 
their  refusal ;  and  some  of  his  less  judicious  friends 
made  it  a  matter  of  serious  complaint.  At  the  en- 
suing Conference  the  committee  presented  their 
report,  and  as  much  censure  had  been  cast  upon 
this  action,  it  was  made  the  subject  of  full  expla- 
nation and  remark.  The  report  was  accepted,  and 
the  following  resolution  was  adopted,  by  a  vote  of 
one  hundred  and  nineteen  to  eighty-six : — 

"  Resolved,  That  the  Conference  approve  of  the 
conduct  of  their  book  committee  in  London,  in 
having  refused  to  facilitate  the  circulation  of  a 
book  on  Ecclesiastical  Claims,  which  was  printed 
in  Scotland,  and  pubhshed  by  a  member  of  our 
connection ;  and  deem  it  a  public  duty  to  declare, 
in  the  fear  of  God,  their  most  decided  disapproba- 
tion of  various  passages  contained  in  it,  as  well  as 
of  the  general  spirit  and  style  of  it,  which  the  Con- 
ference believe  to  be  luibecoming  and  unchristian." 

In  the  year  1820  Mr.  Isaac  was  appointed  to 
the  Leicester  circuit,  and  there  formed  an  acquaint- 
ance with  the  great  Robert  Hall,  which  ripened 
into  a  warm  and  permanent  friendship.  Differ- 
ently as  the  two  men  were  constituted,  they  had 


SKETCHES  OF  -WTTSLETAN  PBEACHERS.  141 


some  sentiments  in  common — the  same  ardent  love 
of  liberty,  and  something  of  the  same  abruptness 
of  manner,  and  each  delighted  in  burning  his  idol. 
In  their  style  of  preaching  they  differed  widely. 
At  each  other's  houses  they  would  sit  together  for 
hours  conversing  and  smoking,  canvassing  the  wor- 
thies of  theological  literature,  and  bewailing  the 
mental  dwarfishness  and  the  puerility  of  modem 
days.  Leicester  might  almost  be  said  to  be  the 
head  quarters  of  the  Baptist  denomination  in  Eng- 
land. Yet  here,  with  the  prospect  of  remaining 
probably  two  years  on  the  circuit,  Mr.  Isaac  pub- 
Ushed  his  ne.xt  work,  entitled  "  Baptism  Discussed  ; 
containing  Scripture  Principles,  Precepts,  and  Pre- 
cedents, in  favor  of  Baptism  of  Infants  and  Lit- 
tle Children."  Some  surprise  was  excited  by 
this  publication,  because  the  author's  intimacy 
with  Mr.  Hall,  the  champion  of  the  opposite  view, 
was  well  known.  A  second  edition  was  soon  called 
for.  An  anecdote,  similar  to  one  current  respect- 
ing Fletcher's  Checks,  is  told  in  relation  to  this 
volume.  Some  one  inquired  of  Mr.  Hall  if  he  had 
read  Mr.  Isaac's  work.  "  No,"  said  he,  "  I  have 
not  read  it,  and  I  do  not  intend  to  read  it.  I  know 
exactly  what  he  would  say.  We  are  very  good 
friends,  and  I  intend  that  we  shall  remain  so." 

To  all  forms  of  prayer  in  public  worship,  and  to 
instrumental  music  in  churches,  Mr.  Isaac  had  a 
great  dislike.  I  do  not  know,  however,  that  he 
ever  carried  his  opposition  to  the  latter  so  far  as 
did  the  Rev.  Philip  Garrett,  who,  on  one  occasion. 


142        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PBEACHER6. 


it  is  said,  declared  from  the  pulpit  that  "  if  he  saw 
the  devil  running  away  with  that  box  of  whistles, 
(meaning  the  organ,)  he  would  not  cry,  '  Stop 
thief.'  "  The  introduction  of  organs  into  Methodist 
chapels  Mr.  Isaac  strenuously  opposed,  and  pub- 
hshed  his  sentiments  in  the  form  of  a  pamphlet, 
entitled  Vocal  Melody.  His  known  sentiments  on 
this  subject  led  the  Leeds  separatists  to  expect  his 
co-operation  in  their  opposition  to  the  action  of  the 
Conference  authorizing  the  erection  of  an  organ  in 
Brunswick  Chapel.  In  this  they  reckoned  without 
their  host.  So  soon  as  he  saw  that  the  organ  was 
made  a  stalking  horse  for  ulterior  objects  and  radi- 
cal changes,  he  turned  his  face  against  them,  warmly 
defending  his  brethren  from  the  unchristian  imputa- 
tions which  were  cast  upon  them.  He  also  differed 
from  the  majority  of  the  Conference  on  the  ques- 
tion of  ordination  by  the  laying  on  of  hands  ;  and 
at  the  London  Conference  of  1822  made  an  able 
and  powerful  speech  upon  the  subject.  This  was 
part  of  his  deep  rooted  Dissent,  for  he  was  a 
Dissenter  in  principle,  and  it  was  probably  from  a 
knowledge  of  this,  that  the  Conference  never  ap- 
pointed him  to  a  circuit  where  the  fonn  of  church 
prayer  was  read  in  the  chapels. 

About  the  year  1825  the  Roman  Catholics  made 
a  vigorous  attempt  to  regain  somethmg  of  theii- 
former  power  in  Great  Britain,  and  directed  their 
efforts  especially  against  the  British  and  Foreign 
Bible  Society.  Mr.  Isaac  promptly  came  to  the 
rescue,  for  he  was  as  ardent  an  opponent  of  Po- 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  143 


pery  as  any  Protestant  coiild  desire.  He  had  it 
in  contemplation  to  publish  "  A  Short  and  Easy 
Method  with  the  Roman  Catholics,"  adopting  part 
of  the  title,  with  something  of  the  plan,  of  Leslie's 
unanswerable  treatise  against  the  deists.  The 
doctrine  of  transiibstantiation  was  to  be  the  prin- 
cipal point  of  attack,  because,  as  he  observed,  and 
the  remark  showed  that  he  knew  where  his  strength 
lay,  "  it  was  as  capable  of  being  made  to  appear 
ridiculous  as  any  topic  that  could  be  suggested." 
And  to  a  friend  he  further  characteristically  said, — 
"  If  my  way  to  the  citadel  is  clear  by  one  entrance, 
that  will  be  as  good  as  a  thousand  minor  ones ; 
and  to  go  in  search  of  others  would  be  a  needless 
waste  of  time."  A  condensed  argument  on  tran- 
substantiation  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  Isaac  would 
have  been  of  great  value,  and  would  doubtless 
have  produced  a  powerful  effect.  Protestants  can- 
not but  regret  that  he  did  not  carry  out  his  purpose. 

One  other  work  remains  to  be  noticed,  in  which 
his  talents  were  united  with  those  of  his  friend, 
Rev.  James  Everett.  It  was  a  master-piece  of  wit 
and  irony,  and  attracted  much  attention.  It  was 
called  "  The  Head-piece  and  the  Helmet ;  or  Phre- 
nology incompatible  with  Reason  and  Revelation  ;" 
and  was  in  the  form  of  conversations  between 
"Isaac,  the  seer,"  (Mr.  Isaac,)  and  "James,  the 
less,"  (Mr.  Everett.)  The  miscalled  science  of 
phrenolog}'  was  most  immercifully  quizzed,  and  its 
infidel  tendencies  were  strikingly  pointed  out  in 
this  work. 


144        SKEtCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

Great  was  the  gloom  cast  over  the  Methodist  So- 
cieties when  the  intelhgence  was  spread  through  the 
various  circuits  that  Daniel  Isaac  had  been  stricken 
down  by  paralysis — it  seemed  an  unfitting  end  for 
such  a  man,  and  was  certainly  unexpected.  That 
he  should  linger  out  his  days  in  helplessness  and 
gloom  was  an  unwelcome  thought  to  all,  and  the 
sufferer  himself  submitted  to  the  dispensation  with 
less  reluctance  than  did  his  friends,  thereby  show- 
ing that  the  principles  he  had  taught  while  he 
"labored  in  word  and  doctrine"  were  those  upon 
which  he  himself  was  prepared  to  act,  when  op- 
portunity was  given  him.  Of  his  final  hours  I 
know  but  little — or  rather  can,  at  this  distance  of 
time,  recall  but  little.  The  following  extract  from 
the  Minutes  of  the  Conference  will  supply  my  lack 
of  information : — 

"  On  Sunday,  May  20th,  1832,  he  was  in  Man- 
chester, for  the  purpose  of  preaching  in  behalf  of  a 
Sunday  school,  when  he  was  seized  with  paralysis, 
from  the  deplorable  effects  of  which  he  never  fully 
recovered.  At  the  following  Conference  he  was 
so  far  restored  as  to  justify  his  third  appointment 
to  his  old  and  favorite  station,  the  York  circuit ; 
but  he  only  preached  once  or  twice,  and  then  sunk, 
the  hopeless  and  sorrowful  victim  of  a  disease 
which  no  art  could  remove,  and  which  no  atten- 
tions could  assuage.  The  powers  of  his  mind  were 
awfully  impaired.  The  long  and  affecting  strug- 
gle between  a  mind  naturally  active  and  vigorous, 
and  a  body  worn  out  by  an  incurable  malady,  ter- 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


145 


minated  in  his  happy  death,  on  Frida)',  March  21st, 
1834.  Although  the  event  had  been  long  ex- 
pected, it  produced,  notwithstanding,  a  great  sen- 
sation ;  and  his  funeral,  which  took  place  on  the 
following  Thursday,  sen-ed  to  show  that  his  friends 
in  York  and  its  neighborhood  had  not  lost  their  re- 
collection of  his  worth  ;  a  long  train  of  voluntary 
mourners  giving  to  the  solemnity  an  unusual  and 
affecting  interest.  Daniel  Isaac  was  an  eminent,  a 
good,  and  a  useful  man ;  and  has  passed  into  that 
blessed  state,  in  which,  with  his  brethren  that  had 
gone  before,  he  for  ever  proves  that  his  '  labor  has 
not  been  in  vain  in  the  Lord.' " 

A  great  and  good  man  was  Daniel  Isaac,  doing 
everything  from  principle  and  a  conviction  of  duty. 
More  polished  shafts  has  God  employed  in  the 
ministry — a  tnier  man,  never.  Kind,  and  gener- 
ous, and  self-denying,  he  was  yet  finn  in  the  main- 
tenance of  the  right,  just  toward  all,  and  enjoyed 
with  a  grateful  heart  the  pleasures  of  social  inter- 
course. At  the  call  of  duty  he  would  leave  the 
sweetest  dehghts  of  converse  and  home  to  minister 
to  the  wants  of  the  poor,  and  to  visit  the  widow 
and  the  fatherless.   Verily  he  hath  now  his  reward  : 

"  Far  from  a  world  of  grief  and  sin, 
With  God  eternally  shut  in." 
10 


146       SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


Samuel  ^ick. 

"  Jest  not  at  preacher's  language  or  condition  ; — 
How  knowest  thou  but  thy  sins  made  lum  miscarry  ? 
Then  turn  thy  faults  and  his  into  confession. 
God  sent  him,  whatsoe'er  he  be.    O  tarry, 
And  love  him  for  liis  Master  I    His  condition, 
Tiiough  it  be  ill,  makes  him  no  ill  physician." 

Herbert'!  Church  Porch. 

Samuel  Hick,  the  "Village  Blacksmith,"  was  a 
Wesleyan  Methodist  local  preacher  ;  but  his  fame 
and  usefulness  were  not  confined  to  his  own  lo- 
cality. As  a  preacher,  he  alone  was  his  own 
parallel,  nor  is  it  likely  that  nature  and  grace  will 
again  meet  in  so  strange  a  combination.  His  per- 
sonal appearance,  especially  when  in  connection 
with  his  pulpit  ministrations,  made  a  first  impres- 
sion not  the  most  favorable.  His  "  huge,  unwieldy, 
Herculean  frame,"  his  ungainly  gait,  his  coarse  and 
strongly  marked  features,  his  disregard  of  fitting 
habiliments — all  tended  to  this ;  but  the  feeling 
gave  way  before  closer  observation.  The  coarse- 
ness of  the  features  was  compensated  by  a  broad 
good-humor,  that  lurked  not  in  the  eye,  nor  about 
the  mouth,  but  played  over  the  whole  face — like 
the  reflection  of  light  upon  a  polished  surface — 
assuming  something  of  shrewdness  as  it  lingered 
for  a  moment  in  his  small  quick  eye,  then  irradiat- 
ing his  whole  countenance  with  sincerity,  and  good- 
ness, and  gushing  good-will  to  all  mankind.  As 
he  ascended  the  pulpit  stairs,  they  would  creak 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  147 

beneath  his  ponderous  frame.  The  opening  hymn 
would  be  read  in  a  broad  Yorkshiie  dialect : 

"  We  knatc,  hy  faath  we  knavr, 
If  this  \Tle  hoose  of  claah, 
Tliis  tabernacle  sink  belaw. 
In  rooinous  decaaA ;" 

yet  with  an  intensity  of  feeling  which  could  pro- 
ceed only  from  tlie  heart  of  one  who  testified  of 
that  of  whicli  he  felt ;  and  his  utterance  of  the  hymn 
won  the  heart  of  at  least  the  pious  portion  of  his 
congregation.  The  spirit  which  animated  his 
soul  passed  hke  hghtning  through  the  assembly ; 
the  holy  tire  was  kindled  in  their  souls  ;  and  all 
joined  heartily  in  singing  the  joyous  anthem.  On 
such  an  occasion  the  writer  first  heard  "  Sammy 
Hick"  preach.  The  man  of  God  was  then  far 
past  the  meridian  of  life,  and  was  somewhat  infirm. 
At  the  conclusion  of  the  first  hymn,  he  slowly 
knelt  down,  and  remained  silent  a  few  seconds ; 
then  lifting  up  his  voice,  he  commenced  an  earnest 
supplication,  with  great  power,  and  clothed  in 
language  remarkable  for  its  shnplicity.  Prayer 
was  his  stronghold ;  not  that  he  had  studied  the 
subject,  but  he  had  habitually  practiced  the  duty, 
and  it  had  become  his  delight.  He  knew  nothmg 
of  formularies,  was  ignorant  of  what  divines  liave 
pronounced  essential  to  the  composition  of  public 
prayer,  and  had  read  none  of  their  elaborate  trea- 
tises. He  had  learned  "  a  more  excellent  way." 
All  he  desired  to  know  was  that  God  was  his  re- 
conciled Father,  ever  more  willing  to  be.stow  than 


148       SKETCHES  OF  ■WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

his  child  was  to  receive.  No  plan  or  arrangement 
seemed  to  him  so  natural  as  asking  directly  for  the 
blessing  which  he  believed  that  he  or  his  congre- 
gation needed  ;  and  his  first  petition  generally  Avas, 
"  Lord,  teach  us  how  to  pray."  The  possibihty  of 
not  being  heard  in  the  thing  that  he  prayed  for 
never  entered  his  thoughts ;  and  in  this,  doubtless, 
lay  his  strength,  and  the  wonderful  prevalency  of 
his  intercessions.  He  believed  the  Savioiu-,  who 
had  said,  "Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  the  Father  in 
my  name,  it  shall  be  given  unto  you:"  "  be  it  ac- 
cording to  thy  faith."  On  one  occasion,  when 
some  one  of  weaker  faith  suggested  to  him  that  he 
was  a  little  bold  in  his  petitions,  his  reply  was 
characteristic  of  the  man :  "  Hey  !  bless  thee,  bairn, 
that 's  the  way  I  get  what  I  want.  Try  it,  bairn, 
try  it.  It  answers  well."  He  was  indeed  mighty 
in  prayer,  and  would  take  no  denial.*  On  this  oc- 
casion he  indulged  in  no  expressions  which  seemed 
designed  to  propitiate  Jehovah,  nor  did  he  usually. 
He  knew  that  a  path  was  opened  to  the  mercy- 
seat,  and  consecrated  to  the  believer ;  and  he 
therefore  approached  the  throne  of  grace  without 

*  Mr.  Everett,  in  his  Life  of  Dawson,  relates,  that  once  at  a 
prayer  meeting,  where  Hick  was  present,  one  of  the  mourners  had 
failed  to  find  peace.  As  Samuel,  after  the  benediction  was  pro- 
nounced, was  leaving  the  house,  some  of  the  friends  said  to  him, 
"  You  wiU  not  leave  the  person  in  distress  ?"  "  Bless  you,  bairns," 
he  sharply  returned  :  "  she  will  serve  as  a  match  to  kindle  the  fire 
with  to-morrow  night."  As  notliing  like  contrivance  or  manage- 
ment ever  entered  into  Sammy's  thoughts  or  arrangements,  he 
must  have  been  somewhat  wanting  in  faith,  or  failing  in  physical 
strength,  when  he  made  this  reply. 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  149 


circumlocution,  entering  into  the  holiest  place  as 
one  who  had  often  been  there ;  as  one  who  knew 
that  he  had  a  staiiding  invitation,  (as  he  would 
have  said,)  and  was  alw"ays  welcome.  He  never 
made  long  prayers,  either  "for  a  pretence,"  or 
with  a  better  motive  ;  but  followed  the  advice  witli 
which  he  woxild  sometimes  interrupt  a  long-winded 
brother  in  the  prayer  meeting,  and  "  prayed  short," 
seldom  exceeding  five  minutes,  but  in  that  time  he 
had  asked  for  great  things,  and  the  power  of  the 
Holy  One  had  descended  upon  himself  and  upon 
the  people. 

I  cannot  recall  the  preacher's  text  at  tliis  dis- 
tant time,  but  the  lapse  of  memory  is  of  no  import- 
ance, as  "  Sammy's  "  text  seldom  returned  to  him 
after  it  went  out  from  him,  and  his  sermon  was  not 
adapted  to  remind  his  congregation  that  he  had 
ever  selected  one.  The  passage  announced,  his 
large  features  glowing  with  the  warmth  of  love,  he 
commenced  thus  :  "  Noo,  friends,  I 'm  not  bown 
[going]  to  preach  ye  a  sarmon :  you  mim  [must] 
take  it  warm  off 't  backst'n.*  I  never  but  yance 
[once]  made  a  sarmon  i'  my  life ;  an'  then  I  cam 
into  't  chapel  as  prood  as  the  divel  an'  my  sar- 
mon could  mak  me.  At  't  first  step  o't  pulpit 
stairs  awaay  went  text ;  upo 't  second  step 't  in- 
troduction went ;  upo 't  third  step 't  first  heead 
were  goon ;  upo 't  fowrth  step  I  lost 't  second 

*  Backbone  :  a  large  circular  iron  plate,  used  in  Yorkshire  to 
bake  what  are  called  "  short  cakes,"  which  are  eaten  at  breakfast 
or  tea  hot  as  they  are  taken  off  the  backstone. 


160        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

heead ;  an'  afore  I  gat  into 't  pulpit 't  sarmon  an' 
't  application  were  all  goon.  So  I  kneeled  doon, 
and  prayed  for  marc)' ;  and  promised  the  Lord 
that  if  he  'd  pardon  me  that  yance,  I 'd  nivver 
male  another  sarmon  as  lang  as  I  lived.  [Sammy 
had  the  reputation  of  having  conscientiously  kept 
that  vow.]  But  bless  ye,  friends,  I  hev  summut 
to  tell  ye.  Bless  the  Lord,  I 'm  as  happy  as  a 
king  !  The  Lord 's  pardoned  my  sins  ;  and  he  '11 
pardon  yours,  if  you'll  nubbut  [only]  repent  and 
believe."  And  blending  with  them  snatches  of  his 
own  joyful  experience,  he  launched  out  into  faith- 
ful reproof,  exhortation,  and  encouragement,  with 
such  unction  from  on  high,  and  occasionally  with 
such  shrewdness  and  force,  that  the  most  volatile 
were  overawed,  and  sinners  trembled  before  the 
word  of  the  Lord.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  ser- 
vice, a  prayer  meeting  was  held,  at  which  fnxits 
of  his  ministry  appeared. 

Sammy  Hick  (for  I  can  call  him  by  no  less 
familiar  name — had  any  one  addressed  him  as  Mr. 
Hick,  it  is  doubtful  whether  Sammy  would  have 
known  that  he  was  meant)  had  a  careful  wife, 
known  as  Matty :  a  woman  of  sound  principle,  who, 
while  somewhat  jealous  of  her  husband's  genero- 
sity, was  always  ready  to  contribute  according  to 
her  ability  when  circimistances  justified  liberality. 
She  kept  a  watchfid  eye  upon  his  movements, 
and  was  sometimes  a  check  upon  his  impulses, 
not  only  in  the  matter  of  giving,  but  also  some- 
times in  other  ways.    Sammy  betrayed  this  on 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  151 


one  occasion,  much  to  the  amusement  of  those 
who  lieard  him. 

He  was  not  often  called  upon  to  co-operate  at 
missionary  meetings,  in  which  respect  he  differed 
very  widely  from  another  popular  and  eccentric  local 
preacher — "  Billy  Dawson,  the  Yorkshire  farmer  " 
— a  sketch  of  whom  will  be  foimd  in  this  volume. 
Herein,  it  must  be  acknowledged,  the  managers 
of  those  meetings  exercised  a  wise  discretion. 
Platform-speaking  was  not  the  department  of  la- 
bor in  which  our  subject  most  shone,  or  felt  most 
at  home.  He  was  a  man  of  "  one  idea  " — his  en- 
grossing desire  being  the  present  salvation  of  every 
sinner  within  the  sound  of  his  voice,  and  to  this 
phase  of 

"  A  yearning  pity  for  mankind, 
A  burning  charity," 

he  sought  to  make  everything  subservient.  Occa- 
sionally, however,  he  appeared  upon  the  platform 
as  the  advocate  of  gospel  missions  to  the  heathen  ; 
and  once  in  the  city  of  York.  The  Rev.  Richard 
Watson,  then  one  of  the  missionary  secretaries,  at- 
tended the  same  meeting,  with  other  popular  di- 
vines. The  chapel  was  crowded,  and  York  audi- 
ences are  proverbial  for  respectability  and  intelli- 
gence. It  is  believed  that  the  committee  having 
the  management  of  the  meeting  had  some  mis- 
givings about  haAing  invited  Sammy,  and  the 
earlier  to  get  rid  of  their  anxiety  arranged  for  him 
to  speak  first,  after  the  reading  of  the  report.  He 
smiled  when  his  name  was  annoimced,  for  he  had 


152        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

a  spark  of  innocent  and  pardonable  vanity,  and 
with  a  peculiar  and  ungraceful  action,  consequent 
upon  not  wearing  suspenders,  approached  the 
front  of  the  platform,  and  in  a  strong  voice  ex- 
claimed, "  Let 's  sing  a  bit ;"  gi\nng  out  with  Ids 
usual  energy  and  breadth  of  dialect  his  favorite 
verse : — 

"  This  is  tlie  waah  the  prophets  went. 
The  road  that  leads  frae  baxiishment ; 
The  icing's  highwaah  of  holiness, — 
I  'U  goa,  for  all  his  paths  are  peace." 

He  struck  the  time  and  sung  the  verse  through 
almost  before  the  congregation  had  recovered  from 
their  surprise  at  this  novel  mode  of  conducting  a 
missionary  meeting.  His  associates  on  the  plat- 
form looked  unutterable  things  at  each  other,  and 
Mr.  Watson's  countenance  plainly  indicated  the 
shock  which  his  fine  taste  and  high  sense  of  pro- 
priety had  received.  The  stanza  concluded,  Sam- 
my Hick,  undaunted  by  the  general  amazement, 
commenced  his  speech  by  relating  his  religious  ex- 
perience— "  Bless  the  Lord  !  Glory  be  to  God  ! 
I'se  very  happy.  We're  bown  to  have  a  good 
time,  friends.  I  feel  the  fire  burning  i'  my  heart, — 

'  Praise  God  for  what  he 's  done  for  me, 
/  </ance  was  bhnd,  but  noo  I  see  ; 
I  on  the  brink  of  ruin  fell, 
Glory  to  God  I'se  not  in  hell.' " 

He  continued  in  this  strain  for  a  few  minutes,  much 
to  the  annoyance  of  Mr.  Watson,  who,  at  length, 
left  the  platform  to  conceal  his  mortification.  The 
"  Village  Blacksmith  "  was  then  unknown  to  him. 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  153 


but  was,  on  better  acquaintance,  loved  and  honored 
by  him.  The  people,  however,  understood  Sammy. 
His  earnest  simplicity  and  the  warm  glow  of  his 
piety  had  its  effect  upon  them,  and  soon  there  was 
the  "  shout  of  a  king  in  the  camp."  This  set  the 
speaker  on  his  high  horse,  and  he  plunged  at 
once  into  the  heart  of  the  great  subject  he  was 
expected  to  advocate,  picturing  in  short  but  forci- 
ble sentences  the  misery  of  the  heathen,  who 
knew  nothing  of  Christ  and  his  precious  salvation, 
and  the  duty  of  those  who  had  experienced  his 
saving  grace,  until  throwing  off  all  restraint  he  de- 
clared, with  much  feeling  and  equal  simplicity, — 
"  Why,  bless  ye,  friends,  I 'd  gang  [go]  for  a  mis- 
sionary to-morn  [to-morrow]  if  it 'd  please  God  to 
remove  t'  hinderance,  but  my  old  Matty  weant  let 
me,  but  may  be" —  The  remainder  of  the  sen- 
tence was  lost  in  a  perfect  outbreak  of  laughter, 
Avhich  disconcerted  him  a  little,  and  he  turned  to 
the  chairman  as  though  he  would  ask  an  explana- 
tion. The  chairman  himself,  then  mayor  of  the 
city,  was  in  the  midst  of  a  smothered  cachinnation, 
but  he  contrived  to  stammer  out,  "  Go  on,  Sammy, 
go  on,"  whereupon  the  speaker  resumed,  without 
altering  a  muscle  of  his  face  or  in  any  other  way 
betraying  the  consciousness  of  having  made  any 
extraordinary  revelation ;  and  a  good  feeling  was 
excited  in  that  meeting  which  wanned  many  cold 
hearts,  and  promoted  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the 
people  as  well  as  the  pecuniary  interests  of  the 
missionary  cause ;  albeit  the  good  man's  confes- 


154        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

sion  about  the  hinderance,  coupled  witli  Matty's  re- 
fusal to  let  him  go,  remained  a  standing  joke  at 
his  expense.  He  meant  to  saj^  nothing  more  than 
that  the  circumstance  of  having  an  aged  and  faith- 
fvd  ^vife  dependent  upon  him  was  a  reason  why  he 
should  not  go,  but  that  if  God  should  indicate  his 
will,  that  Sammy  should  take  his  life  in  his  hand 
and  go  forth  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  Gentiles, 
by  such  a  dispensation  as  the  removal  of  Matty, 
no  personal  consideration  would  for  a  moment 
make  him  disobedient  to  the  heavenly  call.* 

Many  instances  of  overflowing  kindness  of  heart 
and  readiness  to  relieve  the  wants  of  others,  with- 
out regard  to  cost  or  labor,  are  related  of  Samuel 
Hick.  The  follo^ving  may  be  taken  as  a  fair  speci- 
men. Calling  upon  his  sister  one  day  at  Tadcaster, 
he  said,  "  Thou  hast  a  poor  fire."  She  returned, 
"  We  are  not  so  near  the  pit  as  j^ou."  He  made 
no  reply,  went  home,  rose  early  the  next  morning, 
proceeded  to  the  pit,  loaded  his  cart,  and  before 
eight  o'clock  left  a  load  of  coals  before  his  sister's 
door,  and  returned  home  without  looking  into  the 
house — being  a  distance  of  twenty  miles  there  and 
back.  The  neighbors,  as  the  coals  lay  undisturbed, 
said  to  her,  "  Why  don't  you  get  your  coals  in  ?" 

*  On  one  occasion,  says  Mr.  Everett,  a  grave  man  on  a  mission- 
ary platform,  knowing  tliat  Samuel  had  to  speak,  wliispered  to  him, 
"  Let  us  have  no  levity  to-day,  Sammy."  When  he  arose,  he  ob- 
served, "  Mr.  J.,  sitting  there,  [pointing  to  liim,]  says,  '  Let  us  have 
no  levity  to-day.'  'Why,  bless  him,  as  to  himself,  he  can  nothcr  mak 
folk  laugh  nor  cry."  To  another  gentleman,  who  said,  "  Be  short, 
Sammy,"  as  he  arose  to  speak,  he  smartly  returned,  "  Stop  a  bit ; 
I 've  not  begun  yet." 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAK  PREACHERS.  155 

She  looked  surprised,  and  could  not  be  persuaded 
that  she  had  any  claim  to  them  until  she  was  in- 
formed that  her  brother  had  placed  them  there. 

All  untutored  in  the  customs  and  fashions  of 
the  world  as  was  the  "Village  Blacksmith,"  no 
man  was  a  more  welcome  guest  among  the  wealthy 
and  intelhgent  members  of  the  Methodist  societies, 
for  he  carried  a  blessing  with  him  wherever  he 
went.  His  ingenuousness  and  simplicity  atoned  for 
any  lack  of  more  fashionable  qualifications.  He 
was  a  HvTng  exemphfication  of  the  truth, — "  If 
thine  eye  be  single  thy  whole  body  shall  be  full  of 
hght."  His  singleness  of  purpose  saved  him  from 
restraint  or  awkwardness :  rude  he  could  not  be ; 
his  heart  was  too  full  of  gentleness  and  love.  He 
yearned  to  teach  others  the  way  of  salvation,  and 
to  lead  them  in  paths  of  righteousness.  He  would 
fain  have  imparted  to  all  within  his  reach  the  per- 
fect love  which  he  enjoyed,  and  which  he  preached 
in  the  domestic  circle  as  well  as  from  the  pulpit. 
Perhaps  no  man  was  more  sensitive  to  the  tem- 
perature of  the  spiritual  atmosphere  aroimd  him, 
and  when  he  found  it  less  fen  id  than  his  own  he 
was  promptly  upon  his  knees,  asking  for  a  fresh 
infusion  of  the  heavenly  fire  into  that  family.  Such 
was  Samuel  Hick,  always  rejoicing,  yet  always 
praymg  for  larger  blessings  ;  always  faithful  in  re- 
proving sin  and  lukewarmness,  yet  seldom  giving 
oflTense  by  his  fidehty,  because  it  was  always  appa- 
rent that  love  for  souls  was  his  governing  and  only 
motive.    He  died  as  he  lived,  in  the  triumph  of 


156       SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


faith,  and  will  shine  in  glory  "  as  the  stars  for  ever 
and  ever,"  for  he  "turned  many  to  righteous- 
ness."* 

*  A  characteristic  circumstance  is  related  of  the  death  of  this 
good  man.  His  mammoth  bulk  has  already  been  referred  to. 
Shortly  before  lus  death  he  became  apparently  unconscious,  and 
the  mourners  around  his  bed  spoke  in  low  whispers  of  his  exit.  It 
appeared  as  though  every  breath  would  be  his  last ;  and  his  friends 
began  to  anticipate  the  immediate  performance  of  the  last  rites  for 
the  dying  saint.  The  difficulty  of  carrying  down  a  narrow  staircase 
so  large  and  heavy  a  corpse  as  his,  when  coffined,  occuiTed  to  one 
of  the  bystanders,  who  mentioned  the  difficulty  to  another,  little 
supposing  that  "  Sammy  "  would  comprehend  or  even  hear  his  re- 
mark. But  the  old  man  did  hear,  and  roused  himself  to  notice  it. 
Speaking  with  apparent  ease  and  with  the  utmost  calmness,  he 
said,  "  Friends,  ye 've  been  takken  thowt  for  my  poor  body  ;  I  '11  tell 
ye  what  t'  do.  When  I  dee,  u  tak  a  couple  o'  sheets,  an  carry  me 
down  stairs  in  'em  by 't  four  corners,  and  tlien  put  nic  in 't  coffin." 
After  this  he  relapsed  into  a  state  of  apparent  insensibiUty,  during 
which  his  old  friend  "  Billy  Dawson  "  entered  tlie  room.  In  a  little 
time  he  aroused  himself,  and  greeted  his  friend  with  a  smile  of  re- 
cognition. Soon  afterward  he  suddenly  exclaimed,  "  Nurse,  nurse, 
get 't  sheets  ready," — and  expired. 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  157 


lamc0  dvtntt 

"  He  keeps  his  honesty  and  truth, 
His  independent  tongue  and  pen." 

The  Rev.  James  Everett,  the  reputed  author  of 
"  Wesleyan  Centenary  Takings,"  a  book  which  will 
be  more  particularly  noticed  in  the  progress  of  this 
sketch,  presents  nothing  remarkable  in  personal 
appearance.  He  is  about  five  feet  nine  or  ten 
inches  in  height ;  neither  spare  nor  robust  in  frame ; 
light  complexioned,  with  a  mild  expression  in  the 
eye  ;  has  a  pleasant,  mellow,  voice  and  is  constitu- 
tionally active.  He  is  probably  about  fifty-five 
years  of  age  ;  is  a  native  of  the  north  of  England — 
of  Alnwick,  in  Northumberland — and  was  sent  out 
into  the  itinerancy  by  Rev.  William  Bramwell.  In 
his  early  ministry  his  sermons  were  remarkable  for 
their  profusion  of  rich,  poetic  imagerj^  and  he  was 
full  of  bimiing  zeal.  He  still  holds  good  rank  as 
a  preacher,  and  is  often  employed  to  preach  "  oc- 
casional sermons,"  or  sermons  in  behalf  of  mis- 
sions, Sunday  schools,  and  other  benevolent  church 
institutions.  He  displays  to  this  day  a  highly  poetic 
and  vivid  imagination,  a  gift  which,  m  the  hands 
of  a  skillful  public  speaker,  is  an  important  element 
of  usefulness  and  popularity.  This  was  well  un- 
derstood by  the  great  and  venerated  Robert  Hall, 
who  was  accustomed  to  attribute  much  of  his  suc- 
cess as  a  preacher  to  the  possession  of  this  faculty. 


168       SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  there  is  reason  to  be- 
lieve, well  knows  its  value  and  its  legitimate  use, 
and  in  his  younger  days  wielded  it  with  skill  and 
effect.  With  increase  of  years  has  naturally  come 
a  diminution  of  this  power,  and  with  that  some  de- 
crease of  popularity,  especially  as  Mr.  Everett,  on 
account  of  an  affection  of  the  throat,  was  compelled 
for  a  season  to  retire  from  the  itinerancy,  or  be- 
come a  "  supernumerary,"*  and  engage  m  secular 
business,  the  cares  of  which  have  a  very  sedative 
effect  upon  a  poetic  fancy.  This  supernumerary 
episode  probably  had  its  mfluence  upon  the  public 
mind ;  it  withdrew  him  for  a  season  from  general 
observation,  and  to  a  great  extent  from  intercourse 
with  the  churches. 

Without  intending  any  reference  to  this  individual 
instance,  it  may  be  remarked  that  temporary  "  loca- 
tion," as  we  term  it,  is  fraught  Avith  serious  disad- 
vantages to  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  of  which  the 
suspension  of  enlarged  intercourse  with  the  saints 
of  God  is  not  the  most  serious,  for  religion  may  be 
enjoyed  in  all  its  purity  and  fervor  in  his  more  se- 
cluded and  secular  walk.  But  when  a  man's  more 
vigorous  life  has  been  spent  aloof  from  the  world 

*  One  of  the  older  preachers,  lisiting  a  circuit  place  for  the  first 
time  after  he  became  superannuated,  informed  his  hostess  that  lie 
was  now  become  a  supernumerary,  and  should  remain,  as  a  resident, 
in  the  circuit  town,  probably  for  the  remainder  of  liis  life ;  adding, 
what  he  perhaps  thought  would  be  agreeable  inteUigence,  that  "  he 
should  often  come  out  to  preach  there,  though  he  v>as  a  supernu- 
merary." "  Supernumerary !"  echoed  the  old  lady,  "  supernumerary ! 
why  I  always  thought  that  meant  one  more  than  was  wanted."  How 
the  old  man  brooked  the  hint,  tradition  saith  not. 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  159 

and  apart  from  its  cares  and  maxims — when  for 
years  lie  has  been  schoohug  himself  lightly  to 
esteem  the  things  of  this  life  and  has  had  his  con- 
versation in  heaven — he  is  but  ill  prepared  to  come 
down  from  the  mount  to  struggle  and  fight  his  way 
into  commerce  and  secular  subsistence.  Upon  such 
a  one  temporal  anxieties  will  press  with  tenfold 
more  weight  than  upon  him  who  has  been  early 
inducted  into  the  secrets  of  trade,  and  has  had  un- 
interrupted experience  in  the  fashions  and  cu.stoms 
of  commercial  men ;  the  danger  is  inuninent  that 
his  new  employment  and  responsibihties  will  awaken 
in  his  breast  another  spirit  than  that  holy  tender- 
ness and  spirituaUty  of  soul  which  constitute  the 
glory  of  the  minister  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  are  the 
"  sweet  savor"  of  his  ministry.  Few  men,  in  such 
change  of  circumstances,  can  preserv  e  that  atmos- 
phere of  the  closet  and  of  heaven — that  intangible 
and  undefinable,  but  real  and  self-evident,  presence 
of  the  Holy  Ghost — that  habitual  and  hallowed 
communion  with  God,  without  which  the  ministiy 
of  the  word  of  life  is  but  the  fearful  responsibihty 
of  office.  They  find  it  easier  to  become  "  wise  as 
serpents  "  than  to  continue  "  harmless  as  doves ;" 
and  the  religion  which  once  made  them  "  ■v'iolent 
in  fight,"  sickens  and  droops  until  it  can  scarcely 
govern  the  unruly  chadel  of  "  Mansoul."  Yet  the 
church  seldom  makes  allowance  for  this  change. 
While  ceasing  to  care  for  the  supernumerary's 
temporahties,  it  exacts  from  him  the  full  tale  of 
spirituality  and  zeal  in  the  cause  of  Christ  and  on 


160       SKETCHES  OFWESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

their  behalf;  and  forgetting  that  he,  who  once 
served  at  the  altar  and  taught  them  the  deep 
things  of  God,  is,  in  this  privation  of  his  greatest 
jo)^  more  than  ever  entitled  to  their  sympathies, 
they  are  but  too  ready  with  their  censure  if  he 
seem  to  be  less  perfect  in  faith  and  love  than 
when  the  work  of  the  ministry  was  his  only  care. 

But  to  return  to  Mr.  Everett.  I  first  saw  and 
heard  him,  some  sixteen  years  since,  at  Sheffield, 
Yorkshire,  His  text  was  Psalm  Ixxxiv,  11 :  "  The 
Lord  God  is  a  sun  and  a  shield  ;  he  will  give  grace 
and  glory  ;  and  no  good  thing  will  he  withhold  from 
them  that  walk  uprightly."  The  plan  of  the  ser- 
mon was  simple,  natural,  and  rather  common- 
place. There  were  no  indications  of  genius  in  the 
outhne,  and  any  one  hearing  Mr.  Everett  for  the 
first  time,  drawn  thither  by  the  preacher's  reputa- 
tion, would  be  likely  to  feel  some  disappointment. 
As  Mr.  Everett  unfolded  his  subject,  however,  the 
hearer  began  to  feel  an  interest  which  the  intro- 
ductory remarks  did  not  excite,  and  it  soon  became 
apparent  that  the  preacher  had  resources,  both  of 
matter  and  manner,  that  were  yet  to  be  called  into 
play.  Sentence  after  sentence  would  arrest  the 
attention  by  its  remarkable  appositeness — flashes 
of  fight,  betokening  the  surcharged  cloud  and  the 
coming  shower — and  soon  a  torrent  of  eloquence 
dropped  fatness  upon  every  soul.  For  the  filfing 
up  of  his  discourse — the  effective,  telHng  part  of 
his  sermon — the  preacher  seemed  to  rely  upon  his 
own  experience,  his  familiarity  with  evangefical 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  161 

trath,  and  tlie  glow  of  feeling  which  the  subject 
excited  in  himself,  aided  by  a  wai-m  imagination, 
great  fluency  of  speech,  and  consummate  skill  in 
pictorial  representation.  When  he  was  warmed  by 
liis  subject,  the  congregation  was  earned  away  by 
his  eloquence ;  when  this  inspiration  was  lacking, 
he  was  in  danger  of  being  trite  if  not  tedious.  In 
some  of  the  scenic  passages  he  rose  into  sublimity, 
giving  proof  of  refined  genius  and  awakening  most 
hallowed  emotions. 

At  times  Mr.  Everett  descends  to  remarks  which 
make  liis  hearers  marvel  that  such  contrariety  of 
thought  and  speech  can  proceed  from  the  same 
person ;  and  he  sometimes  commits  the  common 
error  of  mistaking  bluntness  for  fidelity.  To  an 
uncharitable  hearer,  he  would,  at  such  times,  ap- 
pear to  take  pleasure  in  browbeating  and  defying 
liis  audience.  Not  many  years  ago,  he  was  sta- 
tioned in  the  Newcastle-upon-Tyne  circuit,  where 
the  congregations  have  the  reputation  of  great  in- 
telligence and  a  critical  spirit.  It  had  long  been 
taken  for  granted,  that  the  conference,  in  view  of 
this  state  of  things,  and  ha\ing  due  regard  to  the 
interests  of  Methodism,  was  under  obligation  to 
send  only  superior  men  to  that  circuit,  for  "  the 
Newcastle  people  required  intellectual  preaching, 
and  would  listen  to  no  other."  I  think  it  was  Mr. 
E.'s  first  appointment  after  his  temporary  location. 
Whether  any  protest  against  the  appointment  had 
been  made  to  the  conference,  which  is  scarcely  pro- 
bable, or  whether,  which  is  much  more  hkely, 
11 


162        SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS. 

some  of  the  self-elected  critics  had  volunteered 
unpalatable  counsel,  is  immaterial.  Mr.  Everett's 
attention  was  called  to  the  prevaihng  sentiment ; 
and  having  satisfied  himself  that  there  was  more 
of  pretension  than  reality  in  their  claim  to  intel- 
lectual superiority  ;  that  those  who  assumed  to  be 
extensive  readers,  sustained  that  reputation  rather 
by  consulting  periodicals  and  reviews,  than  by 
studious  and  patient  research ;  he  resolved  to  re- 
buke their  "vain  philosophy,"  and  bring  down 
their  lofty  imagination.  Selecting  a  week-night 
service  as  most  suitable  for  the  purpose,  the  con- 
gregation being  then  composed  mainly,  if  not 
exclusively,  of  members  of  society,  and  leaning 
over  the  front  of  the  pulpit  as  he  came  to  the  pith 
and  marrow  of  his  discourse,  he  rated  the  people 
on  their  sins  of  the  spirit,  and  especially  on  the  sin 
of  listening  with  itching  ears,  until  he  had  pretty 
well  stripped  them  of  their  vain-glorying,  and  had 
wrought  a  conviction  in  their  minds  that  James 
Everett  was  not  the  preacher  to  feed  them  with  the 
"  philosophy  of  men,"  or  to  fear  the  criticism  of 
any  to  whom  he  might  be  sent  to  declare  the  whole 
counsel  of  God.  Other  ministers — every  Wesleyan 
preacher — would  have  been  equally  faithful,  though 
they  might  not  equally  have  breathed  defiance. 
But  this  is  Mr.  Everett's  greatest  fault.  He  loves 
to  have  the  hornets  about  his  ears — often  raises  a 
storm  by  his  pungent  satire,  and  certainly  never 
quails  before  it.  Some  persons  think  that  he  is 
over  solicitous  to  have  credit  for  independence,  and 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  163 

in  his  resolve  to  earn  that  reputation,  is  not  suffi- 
ciently considerate  for  the  feelings,  or  careful  of  the 
convenience,  of  others. 

The  subject  of  om-  sketch  is,  and  always  was,  a 
great  favorite  with  the  people.  He  is  no  respecter 
of  persons  for  their  wealth  or  station's  sake.  If 
sent  as  a  missionary  to  the  East  Indies,  he  would 
soon  introduce  trouble  into  the  camp  by  his  deter- 
mined opposition  to  caste  ;  for  in  his  war  upon  it 
he  would  listen  to  no  compromise.  He  has  a  manly 
heart,  and  loves  a  manly  nature  wherever  he  finds 
it.  Nor  shoidd  it  be  supposed,  from  what  has  been 
already  said,  that  he  is  lacking  in  good  nature. 
The  reverse  is  the  truth,  and  his  ire  is  only  kindled 
when  he  conceives  that  tinsel  is  passing  for  solid 
gold,  and  pretension  reaping  honor  not  its  due  ;  or 
when  he  thinks  that  the  right  of  private  judgment, 
or  civil  liberty,  is  infringed.  Tlien  he  anns  himself 
for  the  battle,  and  no  one  can  be  more  fearless  as 
to  results. 

Mr.  Everett  is  a  great  lover  of  the  antique,  and 
has  a  passion  for  old  reUcs ;  will  travel  a  great 
distance,  and  expend  much  labor  to  secure  the 
smallest  trifle  decidedly  ante-diluvian,  and  will  pro- 
bably, Uke  othei-s  who  ride  hobbies,  in  his  eager- 
ness to  possess  the  coveted  treasure,  fail  to  discern 
that  it  bears  indubitable  evidence  of  being  con- 
siderably j90s;-diluvian  in  its  origin.  It  is  said 
that  his  warm  personal  friend.  Dr.  Adam  Clarke, 
was  wont  to  twit  hira  unmercifidly  upon  this  foible ; 
and  in  one  of  his  letters  requested  Mr.  E.  to  send 


164       SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS. 


him,  should  he  meet  with  it  in  hunting  through 
the  "curiosity-shops,"  "  the  horn-book  out  of  which 
Eve  taught  Cain  his  letters."  Were  not  the  re- 
verend gentleman's  Protestantism  beyond  sus- 
picion, there  might  be  ground  to  fear  that,  for  a 
sight  of  their  relics,  he  would  go  over  to  the  Roman 
Catholics. 

It  is,  however,  as  a  biographer  that  Mr.  Everett 
is  most  widely  known.  In  this  character  he  is 
popular  through  the  length  and  breadth  of  his 
native  land,  and  his  name  is  familiar  to  the  majority 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  the  United 
States.  It  may  be  noticed  that  he  has  confined 
liis  biographical  labors  to  a  certain  class  of  subjects. 
His  mind  is  eminently  fitted  to  comprehend,  and 
lucidly  exhibit,  the  prominences  of  a  character. 
In  travehng  through  this  country,  his  eye  would 
detect  little  beauty  in  our  gently  undulating  prai- 
ries, vast  and  magnificent  though  they  are,  and 
novel  though  the  sight  would  be  to  him ;  but  his 
whole  countenance  would  glow  with  admiration 
and  delight  were  he  to  gaze  upon  the  romantic 
scenery  of  the  Hudson,  or  the  CatskOl  Mountains, 
or  the  Falls  at  Paterson,  or  the  Notch  in  New- 
Hampshire,  or  the  Water  Gap  in  Delaware,  or  the 
Natiu-al  Bridge  in  Virginia.  So  in  illustrating  an 
argument,  or  exhibiting  a  doctrinal  truth,  or  de- 
lineating a  character,  the  finer  shades  of  diiference, 
the  features  in  repose,  would  to  a  great  cjctcnt  be 
overlooked,  and  those  strongly  marked  alone  be 
dwelt  upon.    Upon  these  he  likes  to  work,  and 


SKETCHES  OF  ^VESLEYAN  PREACHEKS.  165 

under  his  plastic  touch  they  assume  a  positive 
identit}',  and  glo-sv  with  the  warmth  of  real  hfe. 
Hence  he  has  selected  such  subjects  for  his  bio- 
graphical sketches,  and  the  portraits  are  at  once 
recognized  by  all  who  are  familiar  ■n-ith  the  ori- 
ginals. His  Wall's-cnd  Miner,  Village  Blacksmith, 
and  Memoir  of  William  Dawson,  have  been  exceed- 
ingly popular,  and  will  continue  to  afford  both 
pleasure  and  profit  to  pious  Methodists  of  both 
hemispheres  for  man}'  successive  generations.  The 
ViUa<ie  Blacksmith  is  a  biography  of  "  Sammy 
Hick,"  the  subject  of  one  of  these  sketches.  In 
the  eight  years  succeeding  its  first  publication  it 
passed  through  as  many  editions,  and  its  republi- 
cation in  this  country,  by  the  Methodist  Book 
Room,  has  added  thousands  to  its  circulation.  It 
is  the  best  of  his  biographies,  because  most  faithful 
to  the  original.  The  WalVs-etvl  Miner  has  been 
much  read,  and  has  still  a  constant  and  steady 
sale ;  but  the  subject  of  it  was  not  so  universally 
known  as  good  old  Sammy.  It  is  an  exceDent 
book,  well  calculated  to  promote  personal  piety. 

In  the  Memoir  of  Mr.  Dawson  a  fault  is  very 
apparent,  which  in  former  works  from  the  same 
pen  was  occasionally  to  be  seen.  There  was  no 
need  of  Mr.  Everett's  name  upon  the  title-page ; 
for  ever}'  page  beyond  bears  his  image  and  super- 
scription, in  the  numerous  quotations  from  classic 
authoi"s,  the  "fathers,"  and  the  ancient  philoso- 
phers. It  is  true  that,  inasmuch  as  the  subject 
now  sitting  was  of  superior  mold  to  those  whose 


166        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

lineaments  the  artist  had  before  presented  to  the 
public,  he  was  at  liberty  to  display  more  skill  in 
the  picture,  and  to  treat  his  patrons  to  a  more 
elaborate  composition.  But  the  misfortune  is, 
that  the  painter,  in  his  excessive  desire  to  produce 
a  perfect  work,  has  to  some  extent  sacrificed  the 
truthfulness  of  nature,  and  has  so  crowded  the 
canvass  with  touches  illustrating  his  peculiar  style 
of  painting,  that  the  eye  cannot  long  rest  compo- 
sedly upon  the  portrait. 

There  is  another  work,  already  mentioned,  which 
has  given  Mr.  Everett  notoriety.  When  he  became 
a  supernumerary,  he  took  up  his  residence  in  Man- 
chester, where  for  several  years  he  kept  a  station- 
ery and  bookstore.  His  business  was  profitable ; 
for  of  course  all  the  preachers  stationed  in  the 
Manchester  circuits,  and  they  numbered  fourteen 
or  fifteen,  patronized  him,  and  exerted  their  influ- 
ence in  his  behalf.  The  establishment  being  in  a 
central  situation,  was  a  sort  of  rendezvous,  lounge, 
or  newsroom,  for  his  brethren ;  and  on  the  fore- 
noons of  Saturday  and  Monday  especially,  any 
person  wanting  to  see  one  of  the  reverend  gentle- 
men, could  easily  meet  him  by  calhng  in  at  No.  — 
Market-street.  Here  many  a  clerical  caucus  was 
held,  many  an  ecclesiastical  movement  originated, 
many  a  Methodistical  reform  discussed,  (for  Mr. 
Everett  has  always  been  of  the  so-called  hberal 
school,)  and  the  religious  news  of  the  day  talked 
over.  As  his  brethren  in  the  ministry  occasionally 
had  sermons  or  pamphlets  to  print,  and  as  a  fair 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAX  PREACHERS.  167 


amount  of  "job  work"  in  connection  with  the 
various  anniversaries  of  the  body  was  offered  to 
Mr.  E.,  he  made  an  arrangement  with  a  printer, 
who  had  an  office  over  his  store,  and  who  was 
also  a  Wesleyan  Methodist,  which  was  mutually 
advimtageous ;  and  all  the  typographical  work 
executed  under  this  agreement  bore  the  imprint  of 
"  Thompson  &  Everett,  printers,  Manchester." 
And  hereby  hangs  a  tale. 

In  the  year  1832  were  published  at  this  estab- 
lishment, and  sold  almost  exclusively  across  Mr. 
Everett's  coimter,  numbers  one  and  two  of  a  neat 
duodecimo  pubhcation,  the  title  of  which  was 
"  Wesleyan  Takings,"  and  the  motto,  "  "Whose  is 
this  image  ?  And  they  said  *****'s.  And  they 
marveled."  The  first  number  of  this  pubhcation 
was  a  minute,  elaborate,  and  fearless,  pen  portrait 
of  the  Rev.  Jabez  Bunting,  extending  over  some 
forty  pages.  Seven  asterisks  were  substituted  for 
the  name,  and  the  artist  was  anonymous.  The 
Methodist  pubhc,  however,  readily  recognized  both 
the  painter  and  his  subject.  The  work  bore  such 
strong  internal  evidence  of  being  Mr.  Everett's, 
that  no  one  for  a  moment  entertained  a  doubt  upon 
the  subject ;  and  it  was  generally  tmderstood  that 
he  only  dechned  to  acknowledge  its  paternity  be- 
cause, from  the  very  nature  of  the  self-imposed 
task,  and  for  ob^'ious  reasons  of  delicacy,  the  work 
could  best  be  prosecuted  anonymously.  The  por- 
trait, though  shghtly  deepened  in  the  shading  by 
the  painter's  "  liberal "  bias,  was  strikmgly  faithful. 


168        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


Mr.  Bunting  had  long  been  a  thorn  in  the  flesh  to 
the  avowed  enemies  of  Methodism,  nor  less  so  to 
those,  its  professed  friends,  who  were  seeking 
radical  changes  in  its  constitution.  Even  the  firm- 
est adherents  of  Methodism  who  did  not  know  him 
intimately,  feared  him  while  they  loved  and  vene- 
rated him  for  his  fidehty  to  the  interests  of  Method- 
ism, and  his  undaunted  courage  and  indomitable 
perseverance  in  defending  and  maintaining  those 
interests.  When  the  first  number  of  the  "  Tak- 
ings "  was  issued,  there  was  much  latent  radicalism 
in  the  Manchester  societies ;  and  it  was  thought  by 
some  that  Mr.  Everett  secretly  approved  of  tlie 
disaffection.  This  sketch  of  Mr.  (now  Dr.)  Bunting 
took  the  whole  town  by  surprise ;  for  while  it 
gave  evidence  in  many  of  its  passages  that  the 
writer  differed  in  some  of  his  views  from  the  great 
ruler  of  the  Methodistic  Israel,  and  Avhile  he  ex- 
pressed his  own  sentiments  and  his  estimate  of 
Mr.  Bunting  and  his  position  with  the  most  perfect 
freedom  and  fearlessness,  he  was  yet  thoroughly 
loyal  to  the  constitution  of  Methodism,  and  both 
loved  and  admired  the  man  of  whom  he  wrote. 

Number  three  of  that  series  never  was  published ; 
but  at  the  time  of  the  "Centenary  Conference  "an 
elegantly  printed  volume  made  its  appearance, 
bearing  this  title  :  "  Wesleyan  Takuigs  ;  or  Cen- 
tenary Sketches  of  Ministerial  Character,  as  exhi- 
bited in  the  Wesleyan  Connection  during  the  first 
Hundred  Years  of  its  Existence.  [Here  followed 
the  motto  already  quoted.]    London :  Hamilton, 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS. 


169 


Adams,  &  Co."  Copies  of  this  work  were  re- 
ceived in  advance  by  Mr.  Everett's  successor  in 
business,  (his  nephew,)  Mr.  E.  having,  in  the  mean 
time,  resumed  his  itinerant  labors.  Through  his 
nephew,  also,  a  hberal  supply  was  furnished  to  the 
trade  in  Manchester,  and,  in  frequent  conversations 
with  the  wTiter,  that  gentleman  virtually  acknow- 
ledged that  the  work  was  Mr.  Everett's.  More- 
over the  two  sketches  published  m  1832  were  m- 
corporated  in  this  volume.  The  work  gave  offense 
generally  to  the  preachers,  or  rather  was  disapproved 
by  them.  Great  anxiety  was  felt  by  the  "heads 
of  houses  "  to  ascertain  the  authorship  with  cer- 
tainty ;  but  the  ordinary  guide  of  a  printer's  name 
was  lackmg.  No  one  doubted  its  paternity — no 
intelligent  person  could  doubt  that  the  Rev.  James 
Everett  was  the  author  of  the  "  Wesleyan  Cen- 
tenary Takings ;"  but  the  legal  proof,  so  to  speak, 
was  wanting,  and  fruitless  were  all  efforts  to  obtain 
it.  The  book,  in  every  feature,  was  a  novelty  in 
Methodism  ;  and,  if  written  by  one  of  the  preachers, 
involved  a  principle  which  none  of  the  brother- 
hood had  been  bold  enough  to  avow,  and  which  it 
was  not  supposed  that  any  entertained — the  right 
of  one  member  publicly  to  sit  in  judgment  upon 
the  ministerial  talents  of  his  brethren.  The  Wes- 
leyan Methodist  Magazine  denounced  the  book  in 
very  strong  terms ;  yet,  and  perhaps  all  the  more 
rapidly,  it  passed  to  a  second  and  third  edition; 
and  with  the  third  was  published  a  preface  reflect- 
ing with  severity  upon  the  general  management 


1*70        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEVAN  PREACHERS. 

of  the  Magazine.  This  preface,  on  account  of  the 
intimate  acquaintance  displayed  with  the  concerns 
of  the  Methodist  Book  Room  and  the  doings  of  the 
Committee  of  Management,  increased  the  general 
behef  that  the  author  of  the  volume  was  a  member 
of  the  Conference,  while  the  attack  upon  one  of 
the  organs  of  the  body  seemed  to  require  that 
official  notice  should  be  taken  of  the  matter. 

In  the  British  Conference  all  business  is  trans- 
acted with  closed  doors,  but  as  some  four  hundred 
preachers  are  billeted  among  the  members  and 
friends  of  the  Wesleyan  Church,  the  doings  of  the 
body  on  subjects  of  general  interest  mostly  leak 
out,  nor  indeed  is  any  strict  secrecy  in  such  matters 
enjoined.  The  subject  was  brought  up  by  Dr. 
Bunting.  The  principal  topic  of  animadversion  was 
the  third  preface,  but  it  was  further  objected  to  the 
book  that  an  irreverent  use  was  made  of  passages 
of  Scripture,  they  being  sometimes  employed  to 
give  point  to  a  witticism.  This  is  apparently  true, 
and  is  perhaps  the  only  tangible  objection  which  a 
disinterested  person  would  make.  With  the  Con- 
ference the  case  was  different,  and  the  wonder  is 
that  they  did  not  take  issue  upon  the  piinciple,  and 
raise  the  question  whether  a  member  of  an  associ- 
ation hke  that  of  the  Wesleyan  Conference — a  so- 
ciety into  which  each  member  voluntarily  enters 
and  thus  virtually  pledges  himself  to  abide  by  the 
usages,  as  well  as  obey  the  rules,  of  the  brother- 
hood— where  all  are  impliedly  equal,  recognizing 
each  other  as  called  of  God  to  the  ministry  and 


SKETCHKS  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  lYl 

endowed  by  the  Holy  Ghost  -with  the  necessary 
gifts  for  the  successful  ministration  of  the  word  of 
life ;  whether  a  member  of  such  an  association  can 
elect  himself  into  the  censor's  chair  and  pronounce 
cx  cat/iedra  upon  the  qualifications  and  attainments 
of  liis  bretliren  without  violating  an  implied  com- 
pact, or  without  opening  the  door  to  far  more  seri- 
ous departures  from  the  implied  agreement.  We 
did  not  imderstand,  however,  that  this  ground  was 
distinctly  taken  by  any,  but  it  was  alledged  that, 
assuming  the  book  to  be  the  production  of  a  Wes- 
leyan  Methodist  preacher,  its  publication  was  highly 
discourteous  to  his  brethren  and  was  fraught  mth 
evil,  the  tendency  of  such  pubhcations  being  to 
lower  the  standard  of  ministerial  authority  and 
pastoral  influence. 

The  difficulty  of  clearly  identifying  Mr.  Everett 
as  the  author  had  given  rise  to  nmiors  that  either 
others  were  associated  with  him,  or  that  it  was  al- 
together the  work  of  other  hands.  Common  re- 
port pointed  to  the  following  ministers,  and  the 
"  third  preface  "  had  given  then  names  as  the  sub- 
jects of  such  rvunor : — James  Everett,  John  Burd- 
sall,  (Mr.  Everett's  colleague  in  the  York  circuit,) 
William  M.  Bunting,  Francis  A.  West,  Samuel 
Waddy,  and  Dr.  Beaumont.  The  last  four  were 
present  at  the  Conference,  and  were  requested  to 
exonerate  themselves.  They  did  so ;  Dr.  Beau- 
mont, however,  denying  in  strong  terms  the  right 
of  the  Conference  to  make  any  such  requisition 
upon  him,  denoimcing  the  proceeding  as  inquisi- 


172        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

tonal,  &c.,  and  protesting  that  his  disavowal  was 
made  of  his  own  free-will,  and  not  because  the 
Conference  asked  it.  It  is  said,  that  while  speak- 
ing of  the  book,  warm  friend  as  he  is  known  to  be 
of  the  reputed  author,  he  yielded  to  the  gush  of 
his  own  noble  feelings,  and  declared,  that  had  he 
written  it  he  should  ever  after  be  ashamed  to  look 
his  brethren  in  the  face.  Messrs.  Bunting,  West, 
and  Waddy,  expressed  similar  sentiments.  Messrs. 
Burdsall  and  Everett  not  being  present,  an  official 
communication  was  addressed  to  them  of  like  im- 
port with  the  inquiry  made  in  Conference,  and  a 
categorical  answer  was  requested.  Mr.  Burdsall 
promptly  disavowed  any  participation  in  the  matter, 
and  Mr.  Everett  simply  rephed,  that  he  "  denied 
the  right  of  any  man,  or  any  set  of  men,  to  exer- 
cise such  an  interference  in  his  private  affairs." 
When  the  letter  was  read,  it  seemed  to  be  the 
unanimous  opinion  that  no  further  inquiries  need 
be  made,  and  the  matter  was  allowed  to  drop. 

The  volume  comprises  nearly  four  hundred  pages. 
Three  hundred  of  these  are  occupied  with  twelve 
full-length  portraits  of  the  Uving  and  the  dead, 
asterisks  being  substituted  for  the  names  of  the 
living  subjects  ;  the  remaining  pages  are  occupied 
with  "  outlines  ready  for  filling  up  ;"  together  they 
number  one  hundred.  With  these  "  outhnes  "  the 
name  is  given  in  every  instance.  In  some  of  the 
"  Takings,"  it  is  conceived,  the  reader  will  see 
nothing  objectionable,  conceding  that  the  criticism 
is  just,  and  losing  sight  of  the  other  points  to  which 


SKETCHES  OF  -VTESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  173 

allusion  has  been  made.  Others,  however,  are 
finished  oflf  by  the  accommodation  of  Scripture 
passages — are  framed,  so  to  speak,  in  texts  of 
hoh-  writ — in  a  manner  not  consistent  with  that 
lioly  awe  and  deep  reverence  with  which  the  pious 
Christian  is  wont  to  regard  even  the  faintest  indi- 
cations of  the  di^dne  will,  and  still  more  the  de- 
clared testimony  of  God — the  word  by  whicli 
man's  darkness  is  to  be  enhghtened,  his  conscience 
awakened,  his  nature  renovated,  his  life  regulated, 
and  his  actions  weighed  in  the  final  judgment. 

An  amusing  instance  of  baffled  curiosity,  on  the 
part  of  one  of  Mr.  Everett's  colleagues  at  York, 
may  be  mentioned  in  connection  with  this  matter. 
The  gentleman's  wife  had  purchased  some  article 
of  domestic  use,  which  was  sent  home  folded  in  a 
sheet  of  paper,  bearing  the  first  impression  (the 
mere  imprint  of  the  types  without  ink)  of  several 
pages  of  the  "  Wesleyan  Takings."  This  caught 
the  eye  of  the  reverend  gentleman,  and  seeing  its 
importance,  he  eagerly  asked  his  lady  how  she  be- 
came possessed  of  it.  Receiving  her  explanation, 
he  hied  to  the  shopkeeper,  who  in  his  tui-n  explain- 
ed that  he  had  bought  it  as  waste  paper  from  a 
certain  printer  m  the  city.  Elated  with  his  suc- 
cess so  far,  he  hastened  to  the  printer's  office.  To 
his  ardent  hope  the  secret  was  already  discovered 
— the  mystery  unveiled — the  tangled  web  unravel- 
ed. After  sundry  remarks,  designed  to  disguise 
tlie  real  object  of  his  visit,  he  ventured  to  ask,  "  By 
the  way,  Mr.   ,  have  you  any  more  of  that 


174       SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

waste  paper  you  sold  to  Mr.   ?    Is  it  from 

your  own  office  ?"  The  latter  part  of  the  question 
awakened  the  printer's  suspicion — the  truth  flashed 
upon  his  mind — and,  looking  his  clerical  friend  full 

in  the  face,  he  repUed,  "  Mr.  ,  you  attend  to 

your  business,  and  I  will  attend  to  mine."  In  the 
place  of  the  expected  light  came  obscurity.  A 
second  volume  of  the  work  was  promised,  but  I 
have  not  heard  that  it  has  yet  made  its  appear- 
ance. 

In  addition  to  his  biographical  and  other  publi- 
cations more  immediately  connected  with  Method- 
ism, Mr.  Everett  has  published  a  small  volume  of 
poetry.  The  principal  poem  is  in  the  ballad  form, 
and  is  founded  upon  a  legend  of  the  Anglo-Saxon 
era.    There  are  some  good  sonnets  in  the  voliune. 

Mr.  Everett  is  again  upon  the  hst  of  supernu- 
merary preachers,  and  resides  in  the  city  of  York. 
The  affection  in  his  throat  retui'ned  soon  after  he 
recommenced  his  itinerant  labors,  and  he  is  com- 
pelled to  desist  from  preaching,  except  at  long  in- 
tervals. It  is  scarcely  probable  that  he  will  ever 
re-enter  the  itinerant  ranks. 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  1*75 


lames  iDoolr. 

"  Age  sits  with  decent  grace  upon  liis  visage, 
And  worthily  becomes  his  silken  locks  ; 
He  wears  the  marks  of  many  years  well  spent 
Of  virtue,  truth  weU-tried,  and  wise  experience."— Roioc. 

The  subjects  of  this  and  the  following  sketch  are 
father  and  son, — co-laborers  in  the  vineyard  of 
the  Lord,  and  co-heirs  of  the  promise,  "  They  that 
are  wise  shall  shine  as  the  firmament,  and  they 
that  turn  many  to  righteousness  as  the  stars  for 
ever  and  ever."  The  father  has  ceased  his  la- 
bors, God  having  said  unto  him,  "  Go  thou  thy 
way  till  the  end  be,  for  thou  shalt  rest  and  shalt 
stand  in  thy  lot  at  the  end  of  the  days :"  the  son 
yet  awaits  the  summons,  "  Come  up  hither."  The 
sire  went  down  to  his  rest  as  a  ripe  shock  ready 
for  the  gamer,  having  been  a  Methodist  preacher 
sixty-seven  years,  of  which  fifty-three  were  spent 
in  efl&cient  itmerancy  ;  and  at  the  consmnmation 
of  all  things — when  Christ  shall  be  crowned  Lord 
of  all,  and  the  royal  diadem  upon  his  peerless 
brow  shall  be  studded  vnih  the  gems  of  his  re- 
deeming triumphs — "  stars  in  radiance  set " — not 
the  least  elfulgent  in  that  galaxy  vnW  be  the  vener- 
able saint  and  minister  whose  name  stands  at  the 
head  of  this  sketch,  whom  Dr.  Clarke  appropri- 
ately and  feehngly  styled  "an  apostle  of  God." 
He  labored  long,  assiduously,  and  successfully,  in 
the  work  Avhereunto  he  was  called,  and  for  nearly 


lIQ       SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

a  century  (he  died  in  his  eighty-ninth  year)  not 
only  maintained,  an  irreproachable  character,  but 
justly  enjoyed  a  wide-spread  reputation  for  what- 
soever things  were  pure,  and  lovely,  and  of  good 
report. 

In  a  lady's  album  to  which  the  writer  has  daily 
access  are  the  following  counsel  and  autograph, 
written  in  a  fair,  uniform,  and  legible  hand : — 

"  In  the  ftivor  of  God  is  life.  If  this  be  secured  and  re- 
tained, the  grace  of  God  will  keep  your  heart  and  mind  in 
Christ  Jesus ;  it  will  flow  with  the  strength  and  copious- 
ness of  a  river,  and  will  lead  you  to  the  ocean  of  blessed- 
ness. 

"James  Wood. 

"August  31s<,  1833." 

The  date  is  within  a  day  of  the  time  of  my  first 
introduction  to  this  venerable  man.  He  was  then 
upward  of  eighty  years  of  ago,  and  was,  by  pri- 
ority of  years,  the  "  fathe?  of  the  Methodist  Con- 
nection." The  occasion  of  that  introduction  was 
not  to  be  readily  forgotten.  The  writer  had  been 
honored  vnth,  and  had  accepted,  an  invitation  to 
preside  at  the  anniversary  meeting  of  the  Wood- 
house-Grove  Juvenile  Wesleyan  Missionary  Soci- 
ety. After  hurriedly  glancing  round  the  hall, 
and  percei\'ing,  much  to  my  disquiet,  that  several 
influential  ministers  and  laymen  were  in  a  false  po- 
sition, to  -wit,  that  they  were  to  be  hearers  of  the 
"  opening  speech,"  when  any  one  of  them  ought 
to  have  made  it,  I  was  preparing  to  announce  the 
hymn,  prior  to  singing  and  prayer,  when  I  was 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEVAN  PREACHERS.  1*77 

startled  by  the  youths,  and  nearly  all  the  congrega- 
tion, simidtaneously  rising  to  their  feet.  Raising 
my  head  I  at  once  comprehended  and  was  pleased 
with  the  movement.  Supported  by  the  Rev. 
Jonathan  Crowther  on  one  side,  and  the  Rev.  Ste- 
phen Kay  on  the  other,  I  saw  a  venerable  man, 
of  benevolent  aspect  and  apostolic  mien,  slowly 
enter  the  hall  and  take  a  seat  reserved  for  him  next 
to  the  Rev.  George  Morlcy,  then  governor  of  the 
institution.  It  was  the  Rev.  James  Wood,  whose 
appearance  made  an  impression  upon  my  mind,  all 
the  more  permanent  probably  from  the  attendant 
circumstances,  which  is  hkely  to  remain  so  long  as 
memory  holds  her  seat.  He  was  rather  above  the 
average  stature  of  an  Englishman,  somewhat  cor- 
pulent ;  stooped  a  little,  but  not  so  much  as  to 
convey  an  idea  of  decrepitude ;  the  countenance 
was  mild  and  benignant,  and  yet  dignified,  and,  so 
to  speak,  contemplative,  as  though  the  man  was 
accustomed  to  look  inwardly,  and  had  found  know- 
ledge less  in  books  than  in  his  own  breast ;  the 
forehead  was  simple,  and,  with  the  crown,  entirely 
without  covering,  while  from  temple  to  temple  the 
back  of  the  head  was  skirted  with  scanty  locks  of 
soft  silken  hair,  white  as  snow.  The  tout-ensemble 
gave  the  idea  of  one  who  had  pursued  a  steady, 
uniform,  unobtrusive  course  of  duty,  alike  without 
intemperate  zeal  or  selfish  indulgence,  and  who 
looked  on  the  retrospect  without  remorse,  and  with 
a  sohd  satisfaction  as  far  removed  from  vanity  as 
from  doubt  and  fear, — of  one  who  felt  that  he  had 
12 


11 8        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


fulfilled  his  mission,  and  who  now  calmly  waited 
the  command  to  render  up  his  account.  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  sitting  at  the  supper  table  with  him 
that  evening,  and  the  first  impressions  were  abun- 
dantly confirmed.  His  whole  demeanor  seemed 
constantly  to  say,  "  I  am  now  ready  to  be  offered 
up ;"  nor  could  any  one  look  upon  him,  and  listen 
to  his  brief,  affectionate  counsels,  his  joyous  words 
of  praise  and  prayer,  all  feebly  uttered,  without  in- 
vesting him  in  his  mind's  eye  with  the  mental  and 
personal  attributes,  as  he  unquestionably  partook 
of  the  spirit,  of  him  who  was  banished  to  the  Isle 
of  Patmos  for  the  love  he  bore  to  his  Master  and 
his  children  in  the  Lord. 

I  have  a  faint  impression  that  I  heard  of  this 
aged  servant  of  God  preaching,  subsequent  to  this 
time,  at  Bristol,  where  he  resided,  but  probably 
am  mistaken.  At  the  Conference  of  1835,  when  it 
was  resolved  to  establish  a  Wesleyan  Theological 
Institution  for  the  better  education  of  candidates 
for  the  ministry,  he  bore  testimony  before  his  bre- 
tkren  against  the  attempts  made,  by  a  disaffected 
preacher  and  liis  abettors,  to  overthrow  the  consti- 
tutional guards  by  which  the  economy  of  Wesleyan 
Methodism  had  been  so  long  protected,  and  ex- 
pressed the  unabated  confidence  which,  after  long 
years  of  intercouse  and  observation,  he  still  felt  in 
those  brethren  who  had  been  most  bitterly  assailed 
and  misrepresented.  This  testimony  was  the  more 
welcome  as  the  seceding  party  had  taken  great 
pains  to  have  it  imderstood  that  Mr.  James  Wood, 


SKETCHES  OFWESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  1Y9 

and  two  other  very  aged  ministers,  approved  both 
of  their  proceedings  and  their  views.  Mr.  Wood, 
I  believe,  though  of  even  this  I  am  far  from  being 
certain,  at  first  expressed  an  opinion  agabst  the 
expediency  of  estabhshing  the  theological  institu- 
tion, but  when  the  majority  decided  in  its  favor  he 
cheerfully  acquiesced,  and  deeply  sorrowed  over 
the  vdterior  proceedings  of  the  disaffected. 

The  most  affectmg  circumstance  attending  the 
last  days  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  his  fare- 
well of  the  Conference  in  the  year  1839 — the  year 
on  which  that  body  met  in  Bristol.  He  was  then  in 
his  eighty-eighth  year,  and  veiy  infirm,  but  feefing 
that,  of  necessity,  after  that  Conference  he  could 
never  again  see  in  the  flesh  those  with  whom  he 
had  so  long  labored,  and  suffered,  and  rejoiced, 
his  heart  yearned  to  take  a  final  adieu  of  them  and 
leave  them  his  blessing.  He  was  conveyed  in  a 
carnage  to  the  chapel,  and  was  supported  to  the 
platform  by  his  son  (who  had  then  been  twenty- 
eight  years  a  co-worker  with  him  in  the  ministry) 
and  other  preachers :  slowly  and  with  great  diffi- 
culty— Mr.  Robert  Wood  more  audibly  repeating 
his  words — he  exhorted  the  preachers  to  abide  by 
the  ancient  land-marks ;  and,  expressing  his  con- 
viction that  these  would  be  his  last  words  among 
the  ministers  Avith  whom  his  association  on  earth 
must  henceforth  cease,  he  gave  them  his  dying 
blessing,  took  a  final  farewell  of  them  until  then- 
intercourse  should  be  renewed  in  heaven,  and,  ex- 
hausted with  the  effort,  was  borne  to  his  carriage 


180        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEY  AN  PREACHERS. 

and  convej^ed  to  liis  home,  from  which,  though  he 
lived  until  the  following  June,  he  only  once  again 
made  his  exit,  and  that  was  at  his  remo\'al  to  the 
"house  appointed  for  all  living."  The  affecting 
scene  in  Conference,  it  was  told  me,  baffled  descrip- 
tion.. All  rose  to  receive  his  words — old  men  felt 
that  the  grave  and  the  judgment  were  brought 
nearer  to  them,  and  many  wept  aloud  as  they 
looked  for  the  last  time  upon  their  friend  and  coun- 
selor ;  while  yoimg  men  forgot  the  mere  buoyancy 
and  hope  of  youth  in  the  contemplation  of  the  re- 
sponsibilities and  rewards  of  the  future. 

The  reader  is  already  aware  that  the  writer 
never  heard  Mr.  Wood  preach.  From  report,  I 
judge  that  the  following  extract  from  Mr.  Everett's 
"  Centenary  Takings "  is  just  and  faithful : — 
"  Great  stability  and  seriousness  ;  soft — pathetic  ; 
dropped  his  voice  at  the  close  of  a  sentence ; 
weighty,  not  animated.  Preached  as  if  standing 
at  the  mouth  of  the  grave,  or  at  the  bar  of  God. 
Quiet,  modest,  sweetly  insinuating,  and  unobtru- 
sively useful.  A  man  who  appeared  to  have  at- 
tained the  object  so  much  to  be  desired — '  in  the 
first  part  of  life  to  enjoy  its  sweets  without  its 
cares  ; — in  the  middle,  to  please  ourselves  as  much 
by  taking  care  of  others ; — and  in  decrepit,  feeble 
age,  to  be  assisted  in  our  turn  by  others  whom  we 
have  educated.'  In  doctrine  shovjinr/  vncorrupt- 
ness,  gravity,  sincerity." 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEVAS  PREACHERS.  181 


Bobcrt  Uloob. 

"  In  judgment  sound,  in  counsel  wise,  in  temper  dispassionate, 
in  action  cautious  jind  prudent :  firm  in  liis  purpose,  steadfast  in 
his  friendships,  and  true  to  his  principles :  wanting  not  so  much 
light  as  heat.—'  One  that  nileth  well.' " 

The  Rev.  Robert  Wood  entered  the  itmerancy  in 
1811.  It  is  said,  with  how  much  truth  I  know 
not,  that  his  early  ministry  gave  a  promise  that 
riper  years  have  not  fulfilled.  Perhaps  there  might 
be  in  his  younger  days  more  than  he  now  exhibits 
of  impetuosity,  physical  energy,  outward  evidence 
of  zeal,  fire,  or  by  whatsoever  name  that  something 
may  be  called  by  which  many  "  yotmg  preachers  " 
achieve  a  transient  popularity — and  perhaps  more 
imagination,  if  that  ingredient  ever  entered  into  his 
composition.  Powerful  element  of  popularity  as 
imagination  is,  Mr.  Robert  Wood's  early  "  promise  " 
must  have  rested  upon  other  groimds,  as  does  his 
present  acceptability.  He  has  always  had  good 
circuits,  generally  by  invitation  of  the  people,  but 
his  acceptability  is  owing  rather  to  a  combination 
of  good  and  serviceable  (jualities,  than  to  his  pulpit 
talents  alone.  He  is,  for  instance,  an  admirable 
superintendent.  It  may  be  questioned  whether  in 
this  respect  there  is  his  superior  in  the  whole  con- 
nection. He  is  a  strict  disciplinarian,  without  being 
tyrannical  or  harsh,  unmindful  of  the  feelings,  or 
disrespectful  to  the  opinions,  of  others.  Volimtary 
humility  and  arrogance  are  alike  his  aversion  ;  he 


182        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

neither  deals  in  sickly  deprecation  of  the  \-iews  and 
sentiments  of  others,  nor  exhibits  a  headstrong 
adherence  to  his  own.  He  is,  in  fact,  eminently 
judicious  in  the  government  of  a  circmt ;  somewhat 
close,  constitutionally  or  by  choice,  cautious,  and 
far-seeing,  and  is  careful  never  to  attempt  more 
than  he  can  accomplish.  From  the  reserve  which 
he  habitually  maintains,  some  have  supposed  him 
to  be  cold  and  unsympathizing,  but  the  contrary 
is  the  fact.  Instances  might  be  recorded,  wherein 
he  has  shown  great  tenderness  and  feeling  to  those 
in  whose  worth  and  integrity  he  has  had  confidence, 
and  there  is  much  genuine  kindness  in  his  dispo- 
sition. Moreover,  he  is  punctual  to  a  proverb — 
an  important  quality  for  every  man,  especially  for 
a  Methodist  preacher,  and  for  the  formation  of  a 
good  superintendent  absolutely  essential. 

He  is  one  who  applies  the  apostle's  rule  in  the 
full  extent  of  its  phraseology,  "  Let  everything  be 
done  decently  and  in  order."  An  amusing  and 
characteristic  illustration  of  this  I  will  narrate.  In 
the  circuits  comprised  within  the  manufacturing 
districts  of  England,  the  villages,  or,  technically, 
"  circuit  places,"  are  not  very  distant  from  each 
other,  although  the  most  remote  are  perhaps  eight 
or  ten  miles  from  the  circuit  town.  In  making  the 
plan,  the  superintendent  is  generally  careful  to 
arrange  the  quarterly  love-feasts,  held  almost  wvih- 
out  exception  on  Sunday  afternoon,  so  that  they 
shall  not  clash  with  each  other ;  for  they  are  means 
to  which  the  English  Methodists  are  much  attach- 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  183 

ed,  especially  in  the  country,  and  the  societies 
within  a  mile  or  two  of  each  other  often  inter- 
change visits  with  pleasure  and  profit  on  "  love- 
feast  day."  Some  of  the  large  manufacturing 
towns  are  divided  into  three  or  four  circuits,  and 
in  the  towns  there  are  generally  some  members 
who  carrj'  their  partiaUty  for  these  means  to  a  re- 
prehensible excess,  running  away  from  their  own 
chapels  nearly  every  Simday  to  attend  love-feasts 
in  the  different  circuits.  They  are,  in  fact,  love- 
feast  orators.  When  Mr.  "Wood  was  stationed  on 
a  Manchester  circuit  he  appointed  all  the  love- 
feasts  on  the  same  day.  This  of  course  attracted 
the  notice  of  the  local  preachers,  upon  whom  the 
conduct  of  these  means  of  grace  in  the  country 
devolves  to  a  considerable  extent,  and  at  their  next 
quarterly  meeting  the  seeming  eiTor  was  pointed 
out  to  Mr.  Wood.  "  0  no,  brethren,"  said  he,  "  I 
made  no  mistake  in  the  matter.  The  departure 
from  the  general  custom  was  intentional,  and  this 
is  my  reason  for  it.  Some  time  ago  a  member 
at  a  love-feast,  over  which  I  presided,  rose,  and 
'  blessed  God  that  he  had  been  at  thirteen  love- 
feasts  that  quarter.'  I  reproved  him  before  the 
people,  and  inwardly  resolved  that  no  man  should 
'  do  likewise '  in  any  circuit  over  which  I  was  su- 
perintendent." Of  coiu-sc,  the  reason  was  deemed 
satisfactory,  and  Mr.  Wood,  I  believe,  has  continued 
to  act  upon  his  resolution. 

It  is  difficult  rightly  to  define  Mr.  Robert  Wood's 
exact  standing  as  a  preacher.    I  can  but  give  my 


184        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

own  estimate  of  him,  after  frequently  heaiing  him 
in  tlie  regular  rotation  of  his  ministry  in  one  circuit, 
and  occasionally  in  other  places.  To  say  that  he 
is  perfectly  sound  in  his  theological  xnews,  accord- 
ing to  the  authorized  standing  of  the  British  Con- 
ference— Mr.  Wesley's  Works — would  be  to  say 
that  which  may  be  predicated  of  every  English 
Methodist  preacher,  for  perfect  agreement  in  this 
respect  is  required  before  a  man  can  be  received 
as  a  local  preacher  ;  before  he  enters  the  ituierancy 
his  conformity  to  the  standard  is  again  inquired 
into,  and  a  renewed  pledge  is  taken ;  ever  after, 
his  fidelity  to  the  doctrines  held  by  the  body  is 
vigilantly  overseen ;  and  for  any  departui'e  there- 
from he  will  be  speedily  visited  with  the  penalties 
of  discipline.  But,  of  course,  men  differ  somewhat 
— as  one  star  differeth  from  another  in  glory — in 
the  clearness  and  precision  with  which  they  state 
these  doctrines.  This  difference  does  not  neces- 
sarily bear  any  proportion  either  to  their  "fcleamess 
of  perception  or  the  implicitness  of  their  faith  in 
the  truths  they  utter ;  though  it  is  an  indication 
of  their  relative  fitness  for  the  ministry,  inasmuch 
as  "  aptness  to  teach  "  is  an  important  element  in 
a  man's  acceptability  with  those  whom  he  is  called 
to  instruct.  Mr.  Wood  possesses  this  element  in  a 
high  degree.  All  his  teachings  from  the  pulpit 
are  clear  and  lucid.  He  leaves  no  doubt  upon  the 
mind  of  his  hearers  as  to  what  he  means,  and  what 
he  would  have  them  believe.  Theological  anatomy 
has  no  difficulties  for  him.    He  is  as  familiar  with 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACnERS.  185 

the  whole  scheme  of  gospel  economy  as  the  skillful 
surgeon  is  with  the  construction  of  the  human 
fnmie,  and  can  dissect  and  exhibit  the  various 
ramifications  of  doctrine  and  precept  with  as  much 
facility  as  the  most  experienced  operator  can  dis- 
sect his  corporeal  "  subject." 

Again,  Mr.  Wood  is  a  good  sermonizer,  meaning 
by  that,  that  he  is  an  adept  in  the  mechanical  con- 
struction of  sermons.  He  forms  his  "  skeleton," 
or  outline,  with  much  neatness  and  ingenuity.  He 
has  a  place  for  crerijihinri,  and  often  extends  his 
sermons  to  an  inconvenient  length  in  order  to  get 
everything  into  its  place.  This  minuteness  some- 
times creates  weariness  on  the  part  of  his  hearers. 
He  is  "great,"  too,  at  arithmetical  calculations, 
and  can  compute  almost  ad  infinitum.  I  doubt 
whether  the  "  wonderful  boy,"  whose  achievements 
in  this  respect  have  recently  formed  the  theme  of 
newspaper  story,  could  beat  Mr.  Wood  in  this  par- 
tindar  line.  He  would  have  made  an  excellent 
financier,  and  had  his  lot  been  cast  in  the  countmg- 
house  of  Messrs.  Rothschild,  or  other  large  mer- 
chants or  bankers,  where  interest,  simple  and 
compoimd,  had  to  be  calculated,  he  might  have 
acquired  a  princely  fortune  by  his  services.  Com- 
putation is  manifestly  his  delight.  He  has  a  ser- 
mon on  Psalm  Ixxii,  16  :  "  There  shall  he  a  handful 
of  corn  in  the  earth  npon  the  top  of  the  ntoitntains  ; 
the  fruit  thereof  shall  shake  like  Lebanon,"  &c. 
Considered  in  connection  with  the  context,  the 
passage  is  intended  to  point  out  the  tnumphs  and 


186        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

the  extension  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom.  In  this 
sense  Mr.  Wood  treats  it  in  the  sermon  referred 
to.  After  giving  his  hearers  (and  this,  it  must  be 
mentioned,  is  only  one  branch  of  the  discourse) 
theories  upon  the  subject  of  vegetation,  and  de- 
taihng  the  process  of  the  germination  and  subse- 
quent growth  of  a  grain  of  wheat,  he  enters  upon 
a  calculation  of  this  kind :  he  fixes  the  time  required 
for  the  production  of  the  mature  and  ripened  ear, 
the  time  intervening  between  the  seasons  for  reap- 
ing and  sowing,  or  the  length  of  time  in  which  tlie 
ear  generally  remains  in  the  garner,  the  average 
number  of  grains  produced  from  one  seed,  the 
probable  number  contained  in  a  handful,  and  the 
quantity  of  superficial  miles  embraced  in  the  surface 
of  the  earth.  Having  estabhshed  these  data,  he 
goes  into  a  calculation,  showing  how  many  years 
it  would  require  for  a  single  grain  of  wheat  so  to 
be  multiplied  that  the  product  would  cover  the 
whole  earth.  I  cannot  now  distinctly  recall  the 
exact  use  he  makes  of  this  sum  in  arithmetical  pro- 
gression ;  but  its  design  is  to  show  that,  according 
to  a  certain  ratio  of  success,  the  time  is  limited  for 
the  delay  of  the  promise,  that  "  the  knowledge  of 
the  Lord  shall  cover  the  earth  as  the  waters 
the  great  deep,"  and  that  the  promise  must  be 
fulfilled. 

This  faculty  is  remarkable,  and,  in  easily  sup- 
posable  circumstances,  invaluable ;  but  its  indul- 
gence in  the  pulpit  is  of  doubtful  utility,  and  per- 
haps in  this  instance  is  a  defect.    Apart  from  this. 


SKETCHES  OF  TFESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  ISY 

Mr.  Wood's  sermons  are  always  instructive,  often 
exhibiting  keen,  logical  acumen,  always  chaste  in 
diction,  though  never  brilliant  or  overpowering, 
and  his  inferences  are  invariably  just  and  natural. 
He  is  exceedingly  happy  in  seizing  upon  a  mere 
passing  incident,  especially  upon  the  platform,  in 
which  respect  he  is  second  only  to  Dr.  Newton. 
His  great  defect  is,  that  he  lacks  fire.  The  words 
drop  fluently,  even  mellifluously,  from  his  lips, 
but  they  are  not  "words  that  burn:"  thoughts 
are  plentiful,  but  they  are  not  "thoughts  that 
breathe."  Perhaps  this  may  be  partially  accounted 
for  by  the  fact  that  Mr.  Wood  is  strictly  a  memo- 
riter  preacher.  I  have  been  struck,  as  have  others, 
with  the  perfect  similarity  between  a  sermon  which 
I  have  accidentally  heard  him  preach  at  different 
places,  at  wide  intervals.  The  plan,  thoughts, 
phraseology,  tone,  gesture,  and  even  the  time 
occupied  in  its  delivery,  were  without  variation. 
This,  of  course,  comparatively  few  persons  would 
have  the  opportunity  of  obser\-ing  ;  and  it  is  pro- 
fitable to  sit  under  his  ministry,  for  in  his  stock  of 
sermons  there  is  great  variety,  and  he  never  fails 
to  give  a  full  exposition  of  his  subject.  He  always 
stavs  three  years  in  a  cu-cuit,  and  is  even  then 
parted  with  vdih.  regret.  I  never  knew  a  circuit 
deteriorate  under  his  superintendency.  Instances 
liave  occuiTed  wherein  societies  under  his  care 
have  been  rescued  from  sad  depression,  both  in 
temporal  and  spiritual  tilings,  by  his  judicious  and 
systematic  management.    He  was  at  one  time 


188       SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS. 

looked  to  with  some  expectation  and  confidence  as 
a  future  ruler  in  the  Wesleyan  Connection.  I  can 
scarcely  say  how  far  that  feeling  now  exists  among 
his  brethren ;  but  my  impression  is,  that  it  is  not 
so  strong  as  formerly.  All  who  know  him  feel  the 
most  perfect  confidence  that  whatever  position  he 
may  hold,  he  will,  in  intention  and  aim,  be  faithful 
to  the  trust  reposed  in  him,  and  that,  like  his 
venerated  father,  he  will  ever  wear  pm-e  garments  ; 
that  he  will  be  found  ready,  and  with  his  lamp 
trimmed,  when  the  Master  shall  call  him ;  and 
will  finally  be  presented  before  the  Redeemer 
without  spot,  or  wrinkle,  or  blemish,  or  any  such 
thing. 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


189 


"He  is  so  full  of  pleasing  anecdote." 

"  Devout,  yet  cheerful ;  pious,  not  austere  ; 
To  others  lenient,  to  himself  severe." 

This  gentleman  is  probably  known  but  to  few  on 
this  side  of  the  Atlantic.  To  those  few,  however, 
a  sketch  from  one  who  knew  and  loved  him  well 
cannot  be  unwelcome  ;  wliile  others,  being  Method- 
ists, will  not  object  to  these  reminiscences  of  one 
who,  monng  in  a  more  circumscribed  orbit  than 
some  who  have  been  introduced  to  their  notice,  is 
an  acceptable  minister  of  the  New  Testament,  and 
a  most  worthy  man — "  the  friend  of  all,  the  enemy 
of  none."  The  language  of  kindness  is  ever  on  his 
lips  and  in  his  heart.  His  is  a  ministry  of  recon- 
ciliation in  a  lower  as  well  as  in  a  higher  sense  : 
between  man  and  his  fellow,  as  well  as  between 
man  and  his  Maker.  He  is  a  peacemaker.  The 
reader  is  not,  however,  to  suppose  that  this  is 
Mr.  Hanwell's  only  characteristic  ;  or  that  because 
he  is  of  a  meek  and  peace-loving  spirit,  that  there- 
fore he  is  wanting  in  shrewdness,  \-ivacity,  and  in- 
dependence. Far  from  it.  Our  subject  possesses 
a  considerable  share  of  all  these,  with  a  keen  per- 
ception of  character,  readily  discerning  a  man's 
weakness  or  foible,  and  promptly  using  that  dis- 
cernment to  unmask  or  disconcert  a  hypocrite,  or 
to  reconcile  tliose  who  are  unhappily  estranged. 


190       SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

Moreover,  the  reverend  gentleman  is  a  wit,  enjoys 
a  pun  exceedingly,  can  utter  a  sarcasm  with  effect, 
and  possesses  an  inexhaustible  fund  of  anecdote. 
His  equal  in  this  respect  is  not  often  to  be  met 
with ;  but  goodness  of  heart  is  above  all  apparent. 

Physically,  Mr.  Hanwell  is  a  little  man,  not  ex- 
ceeding five  feet  in  height ;  not  exactly  corpulent, 
but  somewhat  rotund  in  proportion  to  his  longitude. 
It  need  scarcely  be  added  that  his  "  presence  " 
inspires  no  awe ;  but  the  "  man 's  a  man  for  a'  that," 
and  not  exactly  the  person  that  a  stranger  would 
take  liberties  with.  There  lurks  an  indefinable 
something  in  the  countenance — a  mmghng  of  hu- 
mor and  decision — which  gives  the  man  a  character 
in  advance  ;  warning  the  beholder  that  he  pos- 
sesses weapons  of  defense,  and  has  the  skill  and 
courage  to  use  them  when  necessary ;  and  that  it 
would  be  difficult  to  unhorse  him  in  an  intellectual 
tournament. 

The  reverend  gentleman  possesses,  in  a  com- 
mendable degree,  the  rare  quality  of  knomng 
when  to  speak,  and  when  to  keep  silence.  He 
keeps  his  own  coimsel.  He  was  stationed  in  Man- 
chester during  the  existence  of  the  trouble  kno^vn 
as  the  "  Warrenite  disturbance,"  (and  in  the  same 
circuit  with  Dr.  Wan-en,)  and  was  so  mute  upon 
the  exciting  subject  that  he  was  half  suspected, 
very  unjustly,  of  sympathizing  with,  or  at  least 
conniving  at,  Ihe  radical  movement.  Nevertheless, 
he  persevered  in  his  course,  extending  his  pastoral 
visits  to  the  disaffected  as  well  as  to  the  loyal,  and 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


191 


knowing  notliing  among  tliem  of  the  angry  passions 
that  were  tearing  other  men's  bosoms.  Among 
those  whom  he  thus  visited  was  a  local  preacher, 
a  man  of  some  talent  and  influence,  and  tolerably 
Avell  to  do  in  the  Avorld,  the  piincipal  defect  in 
whose  character  was  a  love  of  notoriety,  and  the 
credit  of  independence  of  thought  and  speech. 
His  interests,  and  probably  his  private  sentiments, 
were  all  incorporated  with  Wesleyan  Methodism, 
but  for  the  sake  of  being  talked  about  he  was  ever 
boasting  of  his  radicahsm,  while  he  took  care  not 
so  to  commit  himself  that  discipline  coiUd  be 
exercised  upon  him.  Finding  that  Mr.  Hanwell 
continued  his  pastoral  visits,  and  that  he  cautioiisly 
kept  silence  upon  the  prevaiUng  dispute,  and  sha- 
rmg  in  the  common  mistake  as  to  his  real  senti- 
ments, the  man  grew  bolder  in  his  speech,  until 
the  ^■isitor  felt  that,  in  this  case  at  least,  forbear- 
ance had  ceased  to  be  a  \irtue,  and  resolved  upon 
a  seasonable  rebuke.  Instead,  however,  of  ai-gu- 
ing  the  whole  matter  vdih  him,  wliich  the  discern- 
ing reader  will  perceive  would  have  been  useless, 
and  would  only  have  fed  his  vanity,  our  subject 
adopted  a  com-se  which  took  the  wind  out  of  the 
would-be-radical's  sails,  and  left  him  with  the  im- 
comfortable  conviction  that  his  character  was  well 
miderstood.  On  entering  the  house,  Mr.  H.  was 
met  with  the  exclamation,  evidently  intended  to 
eUcit  a  commitment  from  him,  "Why,  Mr.  Han- 
well, I  wonder  you  persist  in  coming  to  see  such 
a  radical  as  I  am.    You  know  I  am  a  thorough 


192        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PRKACHERS. 

Wan-enite.  What  wiW  the  other  preachers  think 
of  you?"  Without  taking  the  proffered  seat,  the 
man  of  God  fixed  his  eye  upon  the  speaker  for  a 
few  moments,  and  then  repUed,  "  I  know  you,  Mr. 

G  ,  and  have  known  you  from  the  beginning 

of  this  difficulty.  That  you  wished  to  be  thought 
a  '  radical '  I  have  always  seen.  I  did  hope  that 
yoiir  rehgion  would  triumph  over  your  vanity,  and 
in  this  hope  have  continued  my  pastoral  oversight. 
But  you  have  so  repeatedly  avowed  these  senti- 
ments that  I  must  either  doubt  your  word,  or  be- 
lieve in  your  disaffection.  Either  alternative  is 
painful,  but  the  latter  the  less  so,  and  1  adopt  it. 
I  assume  that  all  you  have  said  against  my  brethren 
and  Methodism  you  believe.  As  I  cordially  ap- 
prove of  both,  my  visits  must  be  distasteful  and 
unprofitable  to  you,  and  in  sorrow  I  must  bid  you 
adieu.  I  can  only  pray  that  God  may  grant  you 
another  spirit."  With  tliis  coimsel  Mr.  Hanwell 
left  the  house.  Thenceforth  his  \iews  were  well 
xmderstood,  and  his  conscientious  forbearance  from 
minglmg  in  the  strife  rightly  appreciated.  The 
local  preacher  felt  the  force  of  the  rebuke,  and  to 
some  extent  profited  by  the  lesson. 

Mr.  Hanwell  does  not  rank  high  as  a  preacher 
merely,  though  he  always  commands  respectable 
appointments.  On  his  first  advent  to  a  circuit  his 
peculiarities  prove  highly  attractive,  but  the  matter 
of  his  sermons  scarcely  sustams  him  with  equal 
eclat  to  the  end  of  a  third  year — the  full  measure 
of  a  Methodist  preacher's  "  continuance  in  one 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  193 

stay,"  which  his  admirable  tact  as  a  superintend- 
ent, his  fidelity  as  a  pastoi',  his  amiable  qualities  as 
a  man,  and  other  excellences,  usually  seciu-e  for 
him.  He  is,  to  a  considerable  extent,  a  mechani- 
cal, and  perhaps  entirely  a  memoriter  preacher,  and 
possibly  relies  too  much  upon  a  stock  of  sermons. 
This  is  a  conjecture  only,  based,  however,  upon 
some  years  of  obser^'ation.  His  discourses  are 
neat,  exhibiting  a  knowledge  of  man's  ordinary 
spiritual  necessities  rather  than  high  intellectual 
powers,  sound  in  their  theology,  and  thoroughly 
experimental  in  then-  character.  He  loves  most  to 
dwell  upon  the  consolations  of  the  gospel,  though 
sometimes  he  appears  with  good  effect  in  the  cha- 
racter of  a  Boanerges.  He  labors  under  some 
shght  physical  defect  in  utterance,  which,  by  dint 
of  appUcation,  he  has  overcome,  but  has  been  com- 
pelled to  adopt  a  peculiar,  measured  delivery, 
which,  from  its  necessary  uniformity,  becomes,  in 
time,  somewhat  monotonous,  although  at  first,  from 
its  very  novelty,  it  is  effective  and  even  agreeable. 

The  reverend  gentleman  is  careful  to  make  the 
best  use  of  his  powers,  and  his  habitual  self-com- 
mand and  ready  ^vit  greatly  aid  him  in  this  respect. 
He  has  some  sermons  of  great  power  and  accept- 
abihty.  One,  on  the  passage,  "And  David  en- 
couraged himself  in  the  Lord  his  God,"  he  rarely 
preaches  without  a  request  for  its  repetition.  To 
the  afflicted  believer  it  is  a  "  feast  of  fat  things,  of 
wine  on  the  lees,  well  refined."  Another,  on  the 
passage,  "  These  light  afflictions,  tvhich  are  but  for 
13 


194        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAK  PREACHEKS, 

a  moment,"  &c.,  is  indelibly  imprinted  upon  my 
youthful  memory.  The  following  figure  will  pro- 
bably remain  familiar  to  me  through  hfe,  as  also 
the  recollection  of  the  preacher  rising  upon  his  toes 
and  giving  to  it  the  fullest  volume  of  his  voice: 
"  Methinks  I  see  the  venerable  apostle  of  the  Gen- 
tiles, with  the  balances  of  the  sanctuary  before 
him.  Into  one  scale  he  puts  '  afflictions,'  and  into 
the  other  '  glory.'  Returning  to  the  first  he  adds 
'  light  afflictions,'  and  in  the  second  he  places 
'  weight  of  glory.'  With  a  smile  of  inexpressible 
sweetness,  he  adds  to  the  'light  afflictions,'  even 
now  only  as  the  small  dust  of  the  balance,  '  but  for 
a  moment,'  and  to  the  '  weight  of  glory,'  that 
wondrous  word  ' eternal'  and  the  first  scale  flies 
higher  still  into  the  air.  It  is  '  lighter  than  vanity.' 
Paul,  Paul,"  then  exclaimed  the  preacher,  "  stay 
thine  hand ;  Jesus's  suffering  saints  are  satisfied ! 
The  '  weight  of  glory '  is  enough  !  The  '  eternal ' 
glory  meets  their  largest  desires  !  But  no  !  The 
apostle  of  God  has  not  completed  the  contrast. 
To  that  '  weight  of  glory  '  he  adds  that  which  is 
"far  more  exceeding '  as  well  as  '  eternal ;'  the  scale 
in  which  are  '  these  light  afflictions,  which  are  but 
for  a  moment,'  is  raised  so  high  that  the  afflictions 
dwindle  into  nothing,  while  the  eternal  glory, 
brought  near  to  the  believer's  faith,  fills  his  afflict- 
ed soul  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory." 
The  audience,  catching  the  speaker's  inspiration, 
would  lift  up  their  voices  in  one  spontaneoiis  burst 
of  hallelujahs,  and  henceforth  go  on  their  way  re- 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERjj.  195 


joicing.  Many  of  his  sermons  contain  pictorial 
passages  of  this  kind ;  passages  so  vividly  repre- 
senting an  action  or  a  scene  as  to  remain  fixed  upon 
the  memory  for  years.  Encom-aging  the  "  bui'den- 
ed,  sin-sick  soul,"  to  cast  his  care  upon  God,  he 
would  meet  his  doubts  by  exclaiming,  "  Say  you 
that  your  burden  is  so  heavy  that  you  cannot  carry 
it  to  the  throne  of  God  ?  Then,  my  brother,  roll 
it  into  his  jmsence,  and  say  from  thine  heart, 

'  Ilaugs  my  liclplcss  soul  on  thee  ; 

Leave,  all  I  leave  me  not  alone, 
Still  support  and  comfort  me.' 

God  will  touch  it  with  his  finger,  and  thou  shalt  be 
lightened  of  thy  load." 

Mr.  Hanwell  entered  the  itmerant  ministiy  in 
1805,  and  in  some  of  his  earher  stations  had  to 
suffer  for  his  work's  sake.  Probably  his  diminu- 
tive person  exposed  him  to  annoyances  which  would 
have  scarcely  been  ventured  upon  in  the  case  of 
one  with  more  imposing  physical  attributes ;  for 
scoffers  are  generally  cowards,  and  are  an-ogant 
and  oppressive  in  proportion  to  the  prospect  of 
impunity.  From  some  of  these  annoyances  his 
ready  wit  relieved  him.  Preaching  once  in  one  of 
the  benighted  imral  villages  of  Yorkshire,  a  young 
man  entered  the  room  during  the  singing  of  the 
first  hymn,  e^^dently  with  the  intention  of  creating 
a  disturbance  or  inteiTuption.  To  show  his  inde- 
pendence and  disregard  of  divine  worship,  the 
stranger  kept  his  hat  on  during  the  singing  and 
prayer.    Rising  from  his  knees,  and  seeing  the 


196        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

young  man  with  his  head  still  covered,  Mr.  Han- 
well  saw  that  a  direct  remonstrance  would  be  un- 
availing— would,  indeed,  be  the  very  course  the 
young  man  desired  and  expected  him  to  take,  and 
would  afford  the  opportunity  for  colloquy  and  in- 
terruption. He  therefore  announced  the  page  of 
the  second  hymn  without  appearing  to  notice  the 
intruder,  and  then  quietly  observed,  "  There  are 
in  the  Avorld  various  denominations  of  Christians. 
Some  denominations  think  it  right  to  sing  praises 
to  God,  as  we  do ;  others  keep  silence.  Some 
think  it  most  proper  to  pray  to  God  in  a  stand- 
ing, others  in  a  kneeling,  posture.  There  is  only 
one  denomination  of  Christians  in  the  world  who 
worship  God  with  their  hats  on  ;  they  are  called 
Quakers.  They  seldom  come  near  our  places  of 
worship ;  there  seems,  however,  to  be  one  here 
to-night ;  there  he  is,"  he  added,  suddenly  pointing 
with  his  finger  to  where  the  young  man  stood.  Of 
course  the  irreverent  youth  immcdiatel)'  became 
the  "  observed  of  all  observers,"  but  being  com- 
pletely unprepared  for  this  sudden  introduction  to 
his  new  associates,  he  yielded  to  the  force  of  the 
sally  and  disappeared  in  a  trice.  The  preacher 
smiled,  and  went  on  with  the  service. 

The  writer's  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Hanwell 
commenced  while  the  reverend  gentleman  was  sta- 
tioned in  the  Barnsley  circuit.  During  that  ap- 
pointment the  celebrated  Leeds  secession  on  the 
organ  question  took  place,  and  the  disaffection 
spread  to  most  of  the  circuits  in  Yorkshire,  includ- 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  197 


ing  Bamsley,  where,  however,  the  blended  firm- 
ness, prudence,  and  forbearance  of  Mr.  Hanwell 
prevented  the  evil  from  spreading  beyond  a  very 
limited  circle.  When  he  was  first  stationed  upon 
the  circuit,  the  people  had,  by  some  means,  acquir- 
ed a  habit  of  coming  late  to  the  house  of  God  on 
Simday  morning ;  and  as  he  was  somewhat  exact 
and  systematic,  this  was  a  serious  annoyance  to 
liim,  even  apart  from  the  deadness  of  tlie  spiritual 
aiFections  which  such  a  habit  indicated.  He  resort- 
ed to  several  expedients — now  preaching  a  short 
measure  sermon  before  the  lessons,  and  apprising 
the  late  comers  that  he  did  it  for  their  sakes,  pre- 
fening  that  they  should  lose  the  sermon  rather 
than  the  word  of  God,  and  anon  lecturing  them 
severely  both  in  private  and  from  the  pulpit — ^but 
still  the  evil  continued,  one  family  in  particular 
invariably  entering  the  house  about  half  an  hour 
after  service  commenced.  Frequent  expostulation 
having  failed,  he  at  length  resolved  upon  a  public 
rebuke,  which  he  administered  in  the  following 
caustic  manner.  The  lady  and  gentleman  occupied 
a  large  pew  near  the  pulpit,  at  the  end  of  the  chapel 
furthest  from  the  entrance.  They  were  wealthy 
people,  and  the  lady  was  usually  attired  in  rustling 
silks,  which  attracted  attention  as  she  traveled  the 
whole  length  of  the  aisle.  Mr.  Hanwell,  on  the 
occasion  of  the  rebuke,  was  reading  the  second 
lesson,  and  had  reached  the  middle  of  a  verse, 
when  the  late  comers  entered.  When  they  had 
proceeded  so  far  that  they  could  not  well  retreat, 


198        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS. 

he  suddenlj^  stopped  in  the  middle  of  a  sentence — 
"  and  nnto  them  that  look  for" — a  pause  ensued, 
without  any  falling  of  the  voice ;  the  eyes  of  the 
preacher,  and  of  course  the  congregation  also,  were 
fixed  upon  the  late  comers,  amid  a  death-like  still- 
ness, which  made  the  rustling  of  the  lady's  dress 
trebly  distinct ;  the  lady  and  gentleman  reached 
their  seats,  the  preacher  slightly  inclined  his  head 
toward  them,  and  proceeded  with  the  reading  at 
the  exact  point  where  he  had  broken  off — "  him, 
shall  he  appear,"  Arc,  &c.  There  was  no  need  of 
repeating  the  reproof;  the  irreverent  practice  of 
coming  late  into  the  house  of  God  was  cured  ;  the 
example  gave  assurance  that  the  reverend  gentle- 
man was  resolved  upon  enforcing  a  due  observance 
of  decorum,  and  his  way  for  the  future  was  in  that 
respect  made  plain  and  easy. 

Few  men  are  more  happy  and  successful  in  ad- 
dressing young  children  than  is  Mr.  Hanwell :  and 
all  who  have  tried  it  know  that  this  is  a  very  dif- 
ficult department  of  ministerial  duty.  A  favorite 
method  with  him  is  to  take  up  some  important 
principle,  embody  it  in  a  short,  pithy  sentence, 
such  as  the  youngest  child  can  easily  remember, 
and  bring  to  its  illustration  facts  from  Scripture 
history,  reducing  the  phraseology  to  that  colloquial 
form  so  captivating  to  children.  Thus  clothing 
a  fact  in  simple  language,  concealing  its  source,  and 
giving  to  it  certain  touches  of  modem  every-day 
life,  so  as  to  keep  up  the  interest  of  his  hearers, 
he  will  at  length  call  upon  them  to  tell  him  of  a 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  199 

parallel  history,  which  the  better  informed  will  di- 
rectly see  is  contained  in  some  Bible  narrative. 
Having  obtained  their  answer,  he  will  explain,  with 
admirable  tact  and  force,  how  it  illustrates  the 
principle  with  which  he  started  ;  and  then,  drawing 
upon  his  large  fund  of  anecdote,  show  that  the 
same  principle  is  enforced  or  discountenanced,  as 
the  case  may  be,  in  the  history  of  the  world  sub- 
sequent to  the  era  of  revelation.  I  have  seen  the 
reverend  gentleman  often,  Avhile  he  was  stationed 
in  Manchester,  surrounded,  at  the  Whitsuntide 
festival,  by  a  large  congregation  of  children,  who 
listened  for  a  full  hour,  and  sometimes  longer,  with 
eager  and  delighted  attention  to  his  familiar  but 
insti-uctive  addresses.  Sunday  schools,  and  young 
people  generally,  always  participate  largely  in  his 
pastoral — it  might  be  truly  said  paternal — care  in 
the  various  circuits  in  which  he  travels  ;  and  he 
has  his  reward  in  the  affection  which  everywhere 
greets  his  appearance. 

A  most  pleasant  companion,  and  a  faithfid,  stead- 
fast friend,  is  the  Rev.  John  Hanwell,  wherever  he 
places  his  confidence,  and  finds  no  barrier  to  open- 
hearted  intercourse.  Many  a  fatherly  counsel  has 
the  writer  received  from  him  m  early  youth  ;  many 
a  pleasant  journey  taken  with  him  to  the  "circuit 
places,"  in  the  days  of  approaching  manhood ;  many 
an  hour  of  social  converse  have  we  held  under  each 
other's  roof  in  maturer  life  ;  many  a  sigh  have  we 
mingled  over  the  nearly  deserted  temple  of  God, 
when  "the  church  was  riven  by  dissensions,  and 


200        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

many  an  ardent  hope  have  we  breathed  together 
as  the  cloud  of  discord  was  gradually  dispelled  ; 
many  a  time  has  he  cheered  me  by  his  words  of 
kindness,  and  his  happy,  contented  spirit,  in  hours 
of  personal  sorrow  and  affliction,  and  rejoiced  with 
me  in  brighter  days  ; — and  still  he  labors  unweari- 
edly  in  his  hope  and  caUing,  looking  for  the  re- 
compense of  his  reward.  He  must  now  be  ap- 
proaching a  ripe  old  age ;  and  svf eet  and  pleasant 
must  be  his  retrospect  of  faithful  and  successful 
service  in  the  cause  of  the  Redeemer  of  men. 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


201 


^obgson  Casaon. 

"  The  love  of  Christ  doth  me  constrain 
To  seek  the  wand'ring  souls  of  men  ; 
With  cries,  entreaties,  tears,  to  save, 
To  snatch  them  from  the  gaping  grave. 

"  For  tliis  let  men  revile  my  name, 
No  cross  I  shun,  I  fesir  no  shame  ; 
All  hail,  reproach  ;  and  welcome,  pain ; 
Ctaly  thy  terrors,  Lord,  restrain."—/.  Wesley. 

There  are  some  eccentric  men  among  the  English 
Wesleyan  preachers,  as  among  those  of  other  de- 
nominations ;  and  assuredly  the  Rev.  Hodgson 
Casson  is  one  of  these.  Such  men  serve  an  im- 
portant purpose  in  the  army  of  them  that  preach 
the  Avord,  though  sometimes  their  erratic  course 
in\  olves  apparent  confusion  and  disorder.  They  are 
not  men  whose  examples  are  to  he  copied.  Eccen- 
tricity is  at  best  dangerous  in  a  minister  of  the 
gospel,  even  when  it  is  innate,  original,  and  un- 
avoidable. Its  possessor  should  ever  check  rather 
than  foster  it ;  but  when  it  is  cultivated,  assumed, 
worn  as  a  garment  to  catch  the  pubhc  eye,  it  in- 
volves moral  obliquity ;  and  for  lack  of  the  genius 
from  which  genuine  eccentricity  springs,  is  not  less 
mischievous  than  contemptible.  That  the  eccen- 
tricity of  our  present  subject  was  born  with  him, 
and  is  inwoven  with  his  verj-  existence,  does  not 
admit  of  doubt ;  and  to  that  eccentricity  he  owes 
the  considerable  popularity  he  enjoys,  which,  how- 
ever, is  mainl}'  confined  to  the  northern  counties 


202       SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


of  England.  Energetic,  hardy,  fearless  of  danger, 
and  almost  rash  in  braving  it,  indifferent  to  odium 
or  ridicule,  zealous  in  his  Master's  cause,  and  full 
of  compassion  for  souls,  the  -whole  of  his  earlier 
hfe  was  a  succession  of  erratic  movements,  and 
daring  sorties  upon  the  enemy's  camp,  often  suc- 
cessful from  their  very  suddenness  and  novelty  ; 
and  if  unsuccessful,  exciting  admiration  by  the  zeal 
Avhich  prompted  and  the  courage  which  executed 
them.  As  is  often  the  case  with  men  of  his  class, 
the  years  of  his  effective  itinerancy  were  compara- 
tively few.  Although  entering  upon  his  labors  so 
late  as  1815,  he  has  been  for  many  years  upon  the 
superannuated  list. 

As  has  been  intimated,  Mr.  Casson's  labors  have 
been  principally  confined  to  the  north  of  England. 
While  stationed  at  Gateshead  and  Newcastle,  he 
devoted  himself  principally  to  the  reformation  and 
rehgious  enlightenment  of  the  numerous  coal- 
heavers,  bargemen,  and  sailors  of  that  port.  Two 
or  three  anecdotes  will  sufficiently  illustrate  the 
character  of  the  man,  and  his  mode  of  procedure. 
Passing  one  of  the  low  public-houses  to  be  found 
in  every  seaport,  he  heard  the  sound  of  music, 
revelry,  and  dance,  in  an  upper  room ;  while  on 
the  first  floor,  or  bar-room,  a  crowd  of  riotous 
"  longshore  men  "  were  quarreling  and  brawling. 
Never  pausing  to  think  of  the  personal  risk  he  en- 
countered, he  entered,  pushed  through  the  crowd 
below,  ascended  the  rickety  stairs,  and  soon  stood 
in  the  centre  of  the  group  of  dancers.    His  gaunt 


SKETCHES  OP  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  203 

hut  muscular  form,  clothed  in  black,  immediately 
arrested  attention.  Without  giving  the  revelers 
time  to  recover  from  their  surprise,  he  exclaimed, 
with  the  full  power  of  his  stentorian  limgs,  "  There 
now,  you  have  had  dancing  enough  for  awhile : 
let  us  pray.  Down  upon  your  knees,  every  man 
and  woman  of  you."  The  entire  group  seemed 
deprived  of  all  power  of  resistance,  (and  this  was 
no  isolated  instance  of  the  kind ;)  the  piping  and 
the  dancing  ceased;  soon  Mr.  Casson's  powerful 
voice  was  heard  in  prayer  ;  strong  cries  and  groans 
speedily  followed  from  those  who  but  a  few  mo- 
ments before  were  whirling  in  the  dance ;  the 
astonished  landlord  rushed  up  stairs,  but  fled  af- 
frighted when  he  beheld  the  scene ;  the  drunken 
crowd  below  slimk  away ;  and  Mr.  Casson  re- 
mained the  live-long  night — wrestling,  praying,  and 
exhorting — ceasing  not  until  many  of  his  strange 
congregation  had  obtained  mercy,  and  went  to 
then-  homes  new  creatures  in  C.hrist  Jesus. 

On  another  occasion  he  was  returning  on  foot 
from  a  country  appointment,  and  when  near  his 
home  heard  a  man  utter  an  aAvful  imprecation, 
calling  down  with  an  oath  God's  eternal  vengeance 
upon  his  soul.  In  a  moment  Mr.  Casson  stood 
before  him,  and,  proffering  him  two  half-crowns, 
said,  "  Here,  my  man,  I  will  give  you  five  shillings 
if  you  will  say  that  again,  and  '  amen '  after  it." 
The  man  did  so,  and  took  the  promised  reward. 
Mr.  Casson  passed  on,  entered  his  house,  but  took 
no  food  or  sleep  until  he  had  wrestled  for  hours 


204       SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

with  God  for  that  man's  salvation  ;  nor  did  he 
cease  his  intercession  until  he  received  an  assurance 
that  the  desire  of  his  soul  should  be  granted. 
About  a  fortnight  afterward,  Mr.  Casson  was  hold- 
ing a  love-feast,  when  a  man  arose,  under  strong 
emotion,  and  told  how,  on  a  certain  night,  he  was 
swearing,  as  was  his  habit,  when  a  tall,  black  figure 
suddenly  stood  before  him,  and  offered  him  five 
shillings  to  repeat  the  oath,  with  an  "  amen ;"  that  he 
repeated  it  with  the  addition,  and  took  the  reward ; 
went  home,  and  told  his  wife  of  the  circumstance ; 
that  she  refused  to  receive  the  money ;  that  it  imme- 
diately flashed  upon  his  mind  that  he  had  sold 
himself  to  the  evil  one ;  that  he  had  never  touched 
the  money  since,  but  torn  with  remorse,  and  wretch- 
ed beyond  endui-ance,  he  had  wandered  from  place 
to  place,  seeking  rest  and  finding  none ;  and  had 
begged  admission  into  that  meeting,  hoping  that 
the  people  would  do  something  to  ease  his  troubled 
conscience.  In  a  .moment  Mr.  Casson  was  upon 
his  feet,  the  next  moment  upon  his  knees,  and, 
joined  by  the  congregation,  he  wrestled,  and  re- 
fused to  be  silenced,  until  the  man's  sins  were  for- 
given, and  his  soul  made  to  rejoice  in  the  glorious 
liberty  of  God's  children. 

The  intelligent,  pious  reader,  will  not  fail  to  attri- 
biite  the  success  of  each  of  these  bold  measures  to 
the  singleness  of  purpose  which  dictated  it,  and 
the  earnest  prayer  with  which  it  was  accompanied. 
That  was  undoubtedly  the  grand  secret.  Similar 
instances,  even  more  startling  in  their  character, 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  205 

might  be  cited,  were  further  elucidation  of  that 
phase  of  Mr.  Casson's  character  necessary. 

He  often  too  experienced  signal  interpositions  of 
divine  Providence  in  his  behalf ;  Jehovah  not  only 
protecting  his  servant  from  dangers  to  which  his 
impetuous  zeal  exposed  him,  but  sometimes  making 
it  apparent  that  his  faithful  minister  was  imder  his 
especial  protection.  It  will  excite  no  wonder  that 
Mr.  Casson's  bold  assaults  upon  the  kingdom  of 
darkness  made  him  many  enemies,  and  exposed 
him  to  the  machinations  of  evil  men,  especially 
those  who  Uved  upon  the  folhes  and  -vices  of  the 
sin-piu^uing  throng.  Once  he  was  waylaid,  Avhen 
going  to  a  covmtry  appointment,  by  two  men,  who 
had  taken  an  oath  to  assassinate  him  as  he  passed 
a  certain  point  on  the  road.  When  Mr.  Casson 
reached  the  place,  fear  took  hold  upon  them  ;  and 
they  allowed  him  to  pass  without  executmg  their 
murderous  purpose.  They  followed  him  to  the 
A-illage ;  turned  into  a  pubhc  house,  and,  haWng 
fortified  themselves  -with  alcohol,  the  boldest  of 
them  repeated  his  oath,  adding,  that  "  as  sure  as 
he  went  out  of  that  house  alive,  he  would  murder 
Hodgson  Casson  that  night."  After  waiting  in  the 
house  until  they  supposed  Mr.  Casson  would  be 
about  returning,  they  arose  to  depart  on  their 
fiendish  mission.  The  man  who  had  renewed  his 
oath  fell  upon  the  threshold  of  the  house,  and  was 
taken  up — dead.  This  fact  is  well  authenticated. 
The  inference  is  easily  drawn.  The  survivor, 
struck  with  alarm  and  remorse,  confessed  their 


206        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


mutual  purpose.  The  village  was  notorious  for  its 
wickedness.  Mr.  Casson  had  often  been  mobbed 
and  stoned  there,  but  ever  after,  when  indications 
of  such  treatment  appeared,  he  would  boldly  march 
up  to  them,  and  stay  their  persecution  by  only 

saying,  "  Remember  ,"  mentioning  the  name 

of  the  man  who  died  with  a  murder  in  his  heart. 

I  never  heard  Mr.  Casson  during  the  palmy  days 
of  his  notoriety,  but  presume  that  he  was  mainly 
indebted  to  his  zeal  and  eccentricity  for  his  popu- 
larity. Some  seven  or  eight  years  ago,  being  then, 
as  now,  supernumerary  at  Birstal,  he  preached  an 
occasional  sermon  in  the  neighborhood  of  Man- 
chester, and  I  was  induced  to  go  and  hear  him. 
He  was  then  emaciated  and  comparatively  feeble. 
The  sermon  was  upon  the  whole  common-place, 
enlivened  now  and  then  with  some  burlesque  upon 
the  frivolities  of  worldly  minded  and  fashionable 
Christians,  with  also  some  hard  hits  at  Avhat  he 
called  "  dandy  preachers."  "When  Christ  wanted 
preachers,"  said  Mr.  Casson,  "  he  did  not  go  mto 
a  fashionable  drawing-room,  and,  scraping  and  bow- 
ing to  some  exqmsite  who  was  lounging  upon  a 
velvet  sofa,  offer  him  a  'living'  in  his  church," 
with  more  to  the  same  purport,  which,  however, 
was  more  amusing  than  edifying.  Yet  with  this 
there  was  also  some  good  sense,  and  the  sermon 
was  calculated  to  do  good.  It  was  clear  that  the 
fire  of  his  genius  no  longer  gave  out  the  warmth  of 
early  days. 


SKETCHES  OF  VTESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  207 


Samuel  Barbsleg. 

"  An  Israelite  indeed,  in  whom  is  no  guile." 

The  Rev.  Samuel  Bardsley  (the  "Dear  Sammy," 
to  whom  Mr.  Wesley  addressed  many  of  his  short, 
pithy  letters)  is  about  the  earliest  Wesleyan  Me- 
thodist minister  of  M^hom  the  writer  has  any  per- 
sonal recollection.  I  was  but  a  child  when  he 
visited  my  father's  house,  yet  well  remember  his 
great  simplicity  of  speech  and  manners,  his  Usping 
accents,  and  his  mammoth  bulk ;  the  latter  being 
all  the  more  indelibly  fixed  in  my  memory  by  the 
fact  that  he  occupied  a  veiy  capacious  arm-chair, 
from  which  he  extricated  himself  only  with  gi-eat 
difficulty.  His  name  was  famihar  to  the  last  gene- 
ration of  Wesleyan  Methodists.  He  was  much 
beloved,  not  because  of  his  pulpit  talents,  for  they 
were  of  no  very  brilliant  order,  but  for  his  trans- 
parent simpUcity  of  character  and  purpose,  his 
unassuming  manners  and  genuine  Christian  feeling. 
His  pecuUarities  often  provoked  a  smile,  but  his 
experimental  piety  hallowed  the  circle  in  which 
he  moved,  and  won  for  him  the  affection  of  all  who 
were  inheritors  of  the  like  precious  faith.  Un- 
learned and  guiltless  of  much  arduous  study,  he 
was  sound  in  doctrine  and  devoted  to  his  pastoral 
and  pulpit  duties.  He  possessed  the  wisdom  that 
cometh  down  from  above,  while  his  simphcity  and 
ingenuousness  were  a  shield  from  the  shafts  of  the 


208        SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS. 

critic  and  the  learned.  Sometimes,  on  entering 
a  circuit,  he  would  be  coolly  received  by  the  finan- 
cial officers,  and  the  more  wealthy  and  intelligent 
part  of  the  people  ;  but  he  invariably  bore  down 
all  opposition  of  this  kind  in  a  few  weeks,  by  the 
combined  influence  of  his  personal  character  and 
his  devotion  to  the  work  of  God.  In  later  life  he 
became  well  aware  of  this  ;  received  the  first  indi- 
cations of  dissatisfaction  with  imperturbable  good 
humor ;  smiled  at  the  people's  fears,  and  frankly 
told  them  that  their  apprehensions  would  prove 
groundless ;  and  would  sometimes,  indeed,  exhibit 
a  shrewdness  and  tact,  of  which  many  would  sup- 
pose him  incapable. 

At  an  official  meeting,  held  shortly  after  his  ar- 
rival in  a  certain  circuit,  it  was  intimated  to  him 
that  he  must  expect  to  stay  only  one  year.  De- 
signedly misinterpreting  the  speaker,  Mr.  Bardsley, 
with  a  lisp,  which  need  not  be  imitated,  replied, 
"Tru^,  brethren,  my  appointment  is  only  for  one 
year,  but  we  shall  be  so  happy  together,  that,  at 
the  end  of  it,  you  will  wish  me  to  stay  a  second, 
and,  perhaps,  the  Conference  will  reappoint  me. 
The  second  year  will  be  equally  happy,  and,  as  we 
work  together,  the  cause  of  God  will  prosper  so 
much,  that  you  will  petition  Conference  to  give  me 
a  third  appointment,  and  I  should  not  wonder  if 
Conference  granted  your  request.  At  the  end  of 
that  time  we  imist  part,  but  you  will  be  very  sorry 
to  lose  me."  This  put  an  extinguisher  upon  all 
further  remonstrance.  To  say  anything  more  woidd 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEVAN  PREACHERS.  209 


be  to  insult  a  man  and  a  minister,  whose  piety  and 
fidelity  to  his  Master  were  iinimpeachable.  The 
result  proved  that  "Sammy"  was  right.  So 
"mightily  grew  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  pre- 
vailed," that  his  successive  reappointments  were 
earnestly  sohcited ;  and,  at  the  end  of  the  third 
year,  the  good  man  left  an  increased  and  prosper- 
ous society,  amid  imiversal  regret  and  good-will. 

Mr.  Bardsley  was  the  Rev.  Samuel  Bradburn's 
spiritual  father  ;  and  Mr.  Everett  tells  the  following 
anecdote  of  the  twain,  who  M'ere,  as  was  to  be  ex- 
pected, endeared  friends.  Bradburn,  who,  with 
all  his  nobleness  and  generosity  of  character,  had 
his  eccentricities  and  infirmities,  not  the  least  of 
which  was  the  indulgence  in  sallies  of  wit  at  the 
expense  of  others,  had  been  playing  rather  too 
freely  upon  Mr.  Bardsley,  who  at  length  remon- 
strated :  "  Come,  come,  Sammy,"  said  Mr.  Bardsley, 
"recollect  that  though  you  have  many  brethren, 
you  have  but  one  father  in  the  gospel."  In  a 
moment,  Bradburn  started  from  his  seat,  threw 
his  arms  ai-ound  the  neck  of  Bardsley,  and,  with  a 
gush  of  tears  at  the  recollection  of  early  days, 
tremulously,  and  with  impassioned  feeling,  observed, 
while  hanging  upon  him  with  the  doating  fondness 
of  a  child,  "The  Lord  knows  I  love  you  in  the 
gospel  next  to  my  Saviour."  Subsequently,  the 
friends,  each  of  them  of  liberal  dimensions,  were 
walking  arm  in  ann  in  Sheffield,  up  a  steep  hill,  in 
the  burning  heat  of  August,  when  they  met  a 
friend,  and  paused.    Bradburn,  wiping  the  per- 

14 


210        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

spiration  from  his  forehead,  remarked  :  "  Here  we 
are,  the  two  babes  of  the  wood,"  obhquely  glancing 
at  Bardsley's  simpUcity  of  character. 

Mr.  Bardsley  Uved  to  a  great  age,  but  never  be- 
came superannuated.  He  died  "  in  the  harness," 
an  honor  for  which  many  of  his  brethren  were 
wont  to  pray,  for  generally  the  preachers  have  a 
strong  aversion  to  becoming  supernumeraries.  Tlie 
Conference  of  1818  appointed  him  to  the  Man- 
chester circuit,  where,  if  our  memory  is  not  at  fault, 
he  had  once  before  labored.  He  was  present  at 
the  Conference,  but  toward  the  latter  part  of  the 
session  was  much  debiUtated.  Yet  he  shrank  not 
from  duty,  and,  immediately  after  the  close  of  the 
Conference,  set  out  upon  his  journey  to  his  ap- 
pointed sphere,  in  company  with  his  friend.  Rev. 
Francis  Wrigley.  He  found  himself  unable  to 
bear  the  fatigue  of  ordinary  stage-coach  traveling, 
and  it  was  determined  that  the  journey  should  be 
perfor-med  by  post-chaise.  This  mode  of  traveUng 
he  endured  with  comparative  comfort,  until  they 
reached  Delph,  a  small  manufacturing  v-illage  on 
the  main  road  between  Huddersfield  and  Man- 
chester. Here  they  resolved  to  rest  for  the  night, 
Manchester  being  within  a  few  hours'  easy  travel. 
Having  taken  tea,  Mr.  Bardsley  sat  some  time  at 
the  door,  enjoying  the  mild  autumnal  breeze,  and 
appearing  much  refreshed.  Ere  long,  however,  he 
expressed  a  wish  to  retire  to  rest,  and  Mr.  Wrigley 
assisted  him  up  stairs,  which  he  ascended  without 
any  unusual  difficulty.    On  reaching  the  topmost 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  211 


stair  he  sat  down,  apparently  exhausted.  Resting 
his  am  on  Mr.  Wrigley's  shoulder,  or  around  his 
neck,  as  though  embracing  him,  he  quietly  said, 
"  My  dear,  I  must  die,"  and  immediately  expired. 

Sudden  was  the  summons  ;  but  it  was  met  with 
calmness  and  holy  confidence.  Emphatically,  he 
"  entered  into  rest."  His  remains  wei-e  earned  to 
Manchester,  and  were  committed  to  the  tomb  in 
the  town  from  which,  just  half  a  century  before, 
he  went  forth,  an  ambassador  of  Jesus,  to  declare 
the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord,  and  to  preach  the 
knowledge  of  remission  of  sins  through  the  forbear- 
ance of  God.  At  the  time  of  his  decease,  he  was 
the  oldest  effective  itinerant  preacher  in  the  Wes- 
leyan  Connection.  The  Rev.  Joshua  Marsden  has 
thus  beautifully  recorded  the  circumstances  of  his 
death : — 

"  Trav'ling  through  our  vale  of  strife. 

With  the  weight  of  years  opprest, 
Bardsley  slipp'd  away  to  life, 

In  the  sinless  realms  of  rest : 
Jesus  welcomes  with  a  smile. 

Owns  his  aged  servant  dear  : 
Fifty  years  of  holy  toil 

Crowns  with  heaven's  eternal  year." 


212        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


5[l)copl)Uus  Cesecg. 

"  His  words  seem'd  oracles 
That  pierced  their  bosoms  ;   *  * 

*      *      *     you  could  have  heard 
The  beating  of  your  pulses  while  he  spoke."— Cro/y. 
"  an  eye  of  fire." 

The  name  of  Lessey  is  known  in  almost  every 
place  Avhere  Wesleyan  Methodism  has  found  an 
entrance,  seeing  that  it  has  been  borne  and  honored 
by  two  generations.  The  subject  of  this  sketch 
was  the  "  son  of  a  prophet."  He  was  bom  in 
Cornwall  in  1787,  received  the  baptismal  rite  at 
the  hands  of  the  venerable  Wesley,  and  was  brought 
up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord.  In 
the  year  1795  he  entered  at  Kingswood  school. 
Rev.  Joseph  Bradford  being  then  governor  of  the 
institution.  Records  of  his  early  days  seem  to  in- 
timate that  the  boy  did  not  gi\-e  promise  of  the 
man,  either  physically  or  intellectually,  for  he  is 
said  then  to  have  been  of  rather  diminutive  and 
fragile  frame,  disinclined  to  the  social  sports  of 
boyhood,  fond  of  solitude,  and  devoid  of  distinc- 
tive mental  character.  He  became  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  Society  in  1805,  a  local  preacher  in 
1807,  was  proposed  for  the  itinerancy  in  1808, 
and  at  the  Conference  of  that  year  was  appointed 
to  the  Norwich  circuit,  being  then  in  the  twenty- 
second  year  of  his  age.  At  the  very  outset  his 
preaching  was  fervent  and  popular,  and  was  ac- 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  213 


companied  by  a  special  unction  of  the  "  Spuit 
which  quickeneth ;"  and  in  private  Ufe  his  social 
and  \-ivacious  nature  showed  itself. 

In  the  usual  order  of  things  Mr.  Lessey  should 
have  been  foi-mally  admitted  into  full  connection 
at  the  Conference  of  1812,  he  ha-vang  passed  the 
time  of  liis  probation  with  great  credit.  Circum- 
stances, however,  prevented  his  personal  attend- 
ance, and  his  formal  recognition  was  therefore 
postponed  until  the  Conference  of  the  year  1814, 
but  he  was  considered  as  received  into  full  connection 
in  all  personal  privileges  consequent  thereon,  and 
in  reference  to  his  futiu-e  standing.  This  included 
the  right  to  take  unto  himself  a  wife,  and  to  be  re- 
ceived on  his  circuit  as  a  manied  preacher.  Into 
the  "blessed  estate"  he  entered  immediately  after 
the  Conference,  being  then  a  second  time  ap- 
pointed to  the  Kidderminster  circuit.  Witliin  the 
year,  by  one  day,  he  was  a  widower,  Mrs.  Lessey 
ha\'ing,  some  two  months  after  their  union,  taken 
cold  from  exposure  during  a  thunder  stonn,  and 
fallen  a  victim  to  a  rapid  pulmonary  disease.  I 
mention  this  to  introduce  the  following  trait  of  the 
brotherly  feeling  which  exists  imiversally  among 
the  Wesleyan  ministers.  Mrs.  Lessey's  native 
place  was  Bristol.  Early  in  1813  her  medical  ad- 
\iser  expressed  his  conviction  that  her  only  chance 
of  prolonging  life  was  m  breathing  once  more  her 
native  air.  This  was  communicated  to  her  friends, 
and  thither  by  slow  stages  she  was  removed.  Im- 
mediately on  these  facts  coming  to  the  knowledge 


214        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


of  the  Bristol  preachers,  one  of  them,  the  Rev. 
Thomas  Clayton,  offered  to  exchange  with  Mr. 
Lessey,  for  two  or  three  months,  or  as  long  as  cir- 
cumstances might  requu-e,  that  he  might  be  near 
the  wife  of  his  youth  during  the  afHiction  which,  it 
was  too  plainly  seen,  would  be  unto  death.  The 
offer  was  of  course  gratefully  accepted.  The  ex- 
change extended  to  a  much  longer  period  than 
had  been  anticipated,  and  thus  was  Mr.  Lessey, 
under  peculiarly  trying  circumstances,  introduced 
into  a  large  and  important  circuit,  in  every  re- 
spect superior  to  that  which  Mr.  Clayton  had  so 
kindl}'  undertaken  to  supply.  This  early  chasten- 
ing from  the  hand  of  his  heavenly  Father  doubt- 
less contributed  much  to  that  peculiar  tenderness 
toward  those  Avho  were  soiTOwing  which  so  emi- 
nently distinguished  Mr.  Lessey 's  preaching  and 
correspondence.  "  Gold  is  tried  m  the  fire,  and 
acceptable  men  in  the  furnace  of  adversity." 

Mr.  Lessey  married  again  in  1815.  The  lady 
was  the  sister  of  Sir  John  Easthope,  Bart.  Scarcely 
a  year  transpired  ere  he  was  again  a  widower,  his 
second  wife  also  falling  a  prey  to  consumption,  and 
leaving  an  infant  in  his  charge.  His  third  wife 
survives  him.  This  second  visitation  nearly  over- 
whelmed him,  and  for  awhile  he  left  the  scenes 
that  daily  and  hourly  reminded  him  of  his  loss, 
and  retired  to  his  friends  at  Manchester.  At  the 
Conference  of  1816  he  accepted  an  invitation  to 
Bath,  much  to  the  regret  of  the  societies  in  the 
Derby  circuit,  where  he  had  only  labored  one 


SKETCHES  OFWESLEVAN  PREACHERS.  215 

year.  The  change  was  necessary  for  his  peace  of 
mind,  and  his  health.  Here  again  he  was  called 
to  suffer  bereavement  in  the  death  of  his  infant 
daughter ;  it  became  the  occasion  of  a  beautiful 
letter  from  Rev.  Robert  Hall,  of  whose  acquaint- 
ance with  Mr.  Lcssey  I  shall  hereafter  speak. 

Mr.  Lessey's  popularity  was  gradually  acquired, 
and  was  the  combined  result  of  his  inherent  genius 
and  matured  Christian  graces.  In  the  year  1821 
he  was  appointed  to  take  part  in  the  services  con- 
nected with  the  annual  May  meeting  of  the  Wes- 
leyan  Methodist  Missionary  Society.  His  labors 
on  that  occasion  stamped  with  permanency  his 
then  rapidly  augmenting  popularity.  He  had  re- 
tired to  Weymouth,  a  comparatively  obscure  cir- 
cuit, the  seaside  having  been  recommended  for  the 
restoration  of  Mrs.  Lessey's  health,  who  had  suf- 
fered for  some  time  from  a  severe  rheumatic  affec- 
tion. At  the  following  Conference  (in  August)  he 
was  appointed  to  Manchester,  at  the  earnest  solici- 
tation of  the  society,  and  with  his  own  consent,  his 
father  being  there  established  as  supernumerary, 
and  a  brother  and  sister  being  also  settled  there. 
His  colleagues  were  Revs.  Robert  Newton,  Joseph 
Collier,  John  Anderson,  and  John  Hawtrey ;  the 
latter  gentleman  subsequently  found  a  home  in  the 
bosom  of  the  Established  Church.  It  is  no  re- 
flection upon  these  reverend  gentlemen  to  say  that, 
with  the  exception  of  Mr.  Newton,  Mr.  Lessey  was 
the  most  popular  of  the  quintette.  He  labored 
there  three  years,  and  at  the  expiration  of  their 


216        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

joint  ministiy  the  congregations  and  societies  were 
so  much  increased  that  the  circuit  was  divided. 
From  this  time  he  began  to  take  an  active  part  in 
missionary  sen'ices  and  meetings,  being  frequently 
called  upon  to  preach  occasional  sermons  on  be- 
half of  missions.  For  such  services  he  was  emi- 
nently calculated,  breathing  into  them  a  spirituality 
while  he  fostered  the  social  spirit  which  is  almost 
essential  to  the  successful  result  of  those  peculiar 
means  which  the  Methodist  Church  has  employed 
to  so  large  an  extent.  His  addresses  always  com- 
manded the  attention  and  interest  of  the  audience, 
yet  he  seldom  indulged  in  anecdote,  and  still  more 
rarely,  perhaps  never,  made  a  weapon  of  wit  or 
humor.    That  was  not  his  forte. 

The  expiration  of  the  time  to  which  the  Confer- 
ence, in  conformity  with  the  provisions  of  the 
"  Deed  of  Declaration,"  limits  the  stay  of  a  preacher 
in  the  same  circuit,  was  the  signal  for  numerous 
applications  for  Mr.  Lessey's  services.  He  chose 
Halifax,  and  the  Conference  appointed  him  there 
as  superintendent,  giving  him  as  his  colleague  the 
Eev.  William  Vevers.  While  in  this  circuit  he 
experienced  a  remarkable  interposition  of  divine 
Providence,  to  which  he  was  wont  to  refer  in 
after  life  with  very  grateful  emotion.  Returning 
from  an  appointment,  his  horse  took  fright,  and 
at  the  same  moment  one  of  the  stirrup-leathers 
broke,  and  he  was  thrown  to  the  groimd  with  great 
violence.  At  the  turnpike  he  recovered  his  horse, 
remounted,  and  rode  home.    With  a  solicitude 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  2l7 

that  distinguished  him  as  an  aftectionate  husband, 
he  carefully  removed  from  his  person  all  outward 
indications  of  the  accident  before  he  presented 
himself  to  Mrs.  Lessey,  whom,  she  being  still  in  a 
weak  state  of  health,  he  feared  to  alarm.  She, 
however,  soon  detected  a  pecuUarity  in  his  man- 
ner— that  he  repeated  the  same  inquiries  several 
times,  and  otherwise  betrayed  disordered  faculties. 
On  being  questioned,  he  at  once  admitted  that  he 
had  fallen  from  his  horse,  but  added,  "  What  a 
mercy  it  is  that  I  am  not  at  all  hurt !  I  cannot 
sufficiently  thank  God  for  his  preserving  goodness." 
Mrs.  Lessey  immediately  dispatched  a  messenger 
for  medical  assistance,  and  it  was  found  that  Mr. 
L.  had  suffered  a  severe  concussion,  the  more  fatal 
effects  of  which  had  been  lessened  by  the  shock 
being  simultaneously  borne  by  the  pomt  of  the 
shoulder  and  the  temple.  A  free  application  of 
leeclies  was  made  ;  in  a  short  time  his  recollection 
returned,  and  he  suffered  no  further  inconvenience 
from  the  accident. 

An  accident  from  a  similar  cause  was  subsequent- 
ly the  occasion  of  much  pain  and  inconvenience.  In 
the  earlier  years  of  his  ministry  he  sprained  his  left 
knee  by  a  fall  from  his  horse,  from  which  he  seem- 
ed to  recover  at  the  time,  but  it  was  doubtless  the 
cause  of  an  occasional  lameness  to  which  he  was 
subject  all  his  life.  Still  he  was  imwilling  to  remit 
his  usual  labors,  and  actually  preached  at  several 
places,  once  at  Oldham-street,  Manchester,  on  his 
knees,  though  even  in  that  position,  and  with  the 


218        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


occasional  assistance  of  a  chair,  he  endured  acute 
pain.  This  affliction  was  exceedingly  painful  to 
him  on  his  next  circuit — Stockport — where  the 
night  walks  were  long.  A  sort  of  chronic  rheu- 
matism had  settled  in  the  joint,  and  a  walk  of  a 
few  miles  was  distressingly  painful,  often  leading 
to  exhaustion  and  indisposition.  He  was  wont  to 
say  that  it  hurt  him  less  to  preach  six  sermons  than 
to  walk  so  many  miles.* 

In  the  year  1830  Mr.  Lessey  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  "  Legal  Hundred  "  by  a  very  large 
majority;  and  in  1831  was  deputed  to  accompany 
the  president  in  his  annual  visitation  to  Ireland. 
At  the  Conference  of  1832  he  was  stationed  in  the 
City  Road  (London)  circuit  as  the  successor  of 
Richard  Watson.  In  1834,  he  became,  at  the 
special  request  of  the  committee  of  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society,  part  of  a  deputation  of  that 

*  Dr.  Hannah  mentions  the  following  circumstance  in  his  "  Me- 
morials." It  is  strikingly  characteristic  of  the  man  "  Mr.  Lessey 
was  prevailed  upon,  in  the  autumn  of  1828,  to  try  for  a  sliort  time 
the  efficacy  of  the  spa  at  Admeston  for  the  aUeviatiou  of  the  rheu- 
matic complaint,  with  wliich  he  continued  to  be  affected.  [He  had 
also,  in  June  of  that  year,  suffered  from  what  is  usually  called  a 
stroke  of  the  sun — in  reahty  nervous  exhaustion,  brought  on  by 
walking  in  mucli  pain  to  his  Sunday  appointment  in  the  heat  of  the 
day— which  had  seriously  affected  his  general  health.]  He  derived 
considerable  benefit  from  it,  but  he  generally  seemed  most  success- 
ful when  he  sought  liealth  and  ease  in  the  prosecution  of  his  accus- 
tomed labors.  It  is  related  that,  in  the  month  of  March,  1829,  be  had 
a  severe  attack  of  fever,  which  confined  him  to  his  bed  one  Sunday 
until  evening.  He  then  rose,  sent  for  a  chaise,  repaired  to  the 
chapel,  where  he  preached  an  excellent  sermon,  on  the  occasion  of 
the  death  of  one  of  the  oldest  leaders  of  the  society,  from  Nehemiah 
vii,  2 ;  '  He  was  a  faithful  many  and  feared  God  above  many.^  A 
bold  remedy  this  for  a  fever  I  But  it  was  in  the  course  of  liis  allotted 
duty,  and  it  appears  to  have  been  efficacious." 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS.  219 

society  to  Yorkshire,  and  also  took  an  active  part 
in  the  preparatory'  measures  for  the  establishment 
of  the  Wesleyan  Theological  Institution.  In  1839 
he  was  elected  president  of  the  Conference.  It 
was  the  Centenary  year,  and  of  course  one  of  great 
importance  and  interest.  It  may,  by  the  way,  be 
remarked,  that  Mr.  Lessey  was  the  first  preacher's 
son  who  had  filled  the  presidential  chair.  Tliere 
were  misgivings  that  his  peculiarly  nervous  temper- 
ament would  to  some  extent  \mfit  him  for  the  effi- 
cient discharge  of  the  responsible  office.  These 
apprehensions  proved  to  be  imfounded.  His  ex- 
amination of  the  probationary  ministers  greatly  en- 
hanced his  reputation  as  a  sound,  evangelical  theo- 
logian, and  his  whole  conduct  during  that  memora- 
ble and  eventfiil  session  won  more  than  ever  the 
affection  and  confidence  of  his  brethren.  There 
can  be  little  doubt,  however,  that  his  exertions  in 
the  public  devotional  sei-vices,  rather  than  in  the 
Conference  itself,  laid  the  foimdation  of  that  dis- 
ease which  deprived  the  Methodist  Church  of  one 
of  its  brightest  ornaments. 

The  Conference  was  held  in  Liverpool.  The 
-writer  conversed  with  several  of  the  preachers  as 
they  passed  through  Manchester  to  their  respective 
circuits,  and  all  spoke  of  the  high  devotional  spirit 
sustained  by  Mr.  Lessey  during  the  session ;  but 
many  of  them  expressed  great  fear  that  he  had  ex- 
ceeded his  strength,  and  would  experience  the  in- 
jurious if  not  fatal  effects,  when  the  general  excite- 
ment in  which  he  had  so  lately  participated  should 


220        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

settle  down.  Special  reference  was  made  by  more 
than  one  to  an  evening  service  on  the  day  which 
was  specially  set  apart  for  the  celebration  of  the 
Wesleyan  Centenary — Monday,  the  5th  of  August. 
The  services  were  commenced  by  a  prayer  meeting 
at  half-past  seven  o'clock,  A.M.  The  Rev.  Thomas 
Jackson,  ex-president,  preached  at  half-past  ten, 
and  in  the  evening  Mr.  Lessey  preached  from 
Psalm  xc,  16,  1*7 :  "Let  thy  work  appear  unto  thy 
servants."  He  had  been  carried  beyond  himself 
by  the  hallowed  excitement  of  the  day,  and  in  the 
evening  exerted  himself  to  such  a  degree,  that  at 
the  close  of  the  service  his  voice  was  entirely  gone. 
The  glowing  eloquence  of  that  discourse  was  said 
to  transcend  all  that  had  gone  before,  and  the  im- 
mense congregation  hung  upon  his  hps  with  ecstasy 
and  astonishment.  He  however  resumed  his  pre- 
sidential duties  on  the  following  day,  and  continu- 
ed in  their  discharge  until  the  close  of  the  session. 

Mr.  Lessey  was  now,  and  had  been  for  some 
seven  or  eight  years,  on  the  pinnacle  of  popularity. 
His  occasional  services  were  more  in  requisition 
than  those  of  any  other  preacher,  if  we  except 
Mr.  Newton,  and  his  usefulness  was  commensurate 
with  his  popularity.  He  was,  indeed,  taken  away 
in  the  midst  of  his  daj^s.  It  was  deemed  necessary 
by  the  Conference,  in  view  of  the  numerous  and 
important  engagements  which  would  necessarily 
devolve  upon  the  president  duiing  the  Centenary 
year,  that  he  should  reside  in  London,  and  Mr. 
Lessey  was  stationed  there  though  he  had  been 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  221 

but  one  year  at  Bristol,  where  he  had  laid  out  and 
was  canying  on  plans  of  extensive  usefulness.  He 
had  not  long  entered  upon  his  new  station  before 
he  caught  a  slight  cold,  which  was  followed  by  a 
troublesome  cough.  Disregarding  this,  he  continu- 
ed preaching,  and  expectoration  of  blood  followed. 
Conceahng  this  from  his  friends,  and  probably 
deeming  it  only  a  temporary  ailment,  he  still  per- 
sisted in  his  accustomed  labors,  traveling  and 
preaching,  until,  accidentally  dining  with  a  medical 
friend,  he  was  warned  of  his  danger  and  strictly 
prohibited  from  further  public  exercises.  From 
the  beginning  of  October,  1839,  to  January,  1840, 
his  life  hung  in  the  balances,  and  once  or  twice  his 
weeping  friends  had  given  him  up  as  dead.  With 
returning  spring,  however,  he  rallied  considerably, 
liaving  spent  the  winter  at  the  house  of  a  friend  in 
Bedfordshire.  In  March  he  was  able  to  return  to 
London,  and  though  at  considerable  risk,  presided 
over  a  committee  of  ministers  convened  at  the  Mis- 
sion-house, Hatton  Garden,  to  take  leave  of  Rev. 
Robert  Newton,  when  embarking  for  this  countrj^ 
as  a  deputation  from  the  British  to  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  General  Conference.  The  affectionate 
greeting  of  his  brethren,  and  their  irrepressible  joy 
at  having  him  once  more  among  them,  deeply 
affected  him.  His  reply  to  their  cordial  greeting 
moved  every  one  present,  and  he  himself  could 
scarcely  sustain  his  emotions  while  he  spoke  of  the 
manifestations  of  divine  love  with  which  he  had 
been  favored,  and  of  his  present  feelings,  hopes, 


222        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

and  purposes.  It  was  found  that  the  excitement 
of  London  was  more  than  he  could  safely  endiu-e, 
and  he  was  again  compelled  to  retire  to  the  west 
of  England.  In  the  following  May,  after  a  silence 
of  more  than  seven  months,  he  ventured  to  preach 
at  Exeter,  selecting  the  appropriate  and  expressive 
text.  Job  X,  12,  "  Thou  hast  granted  me  life  and 
favor,  and  thy  visitation  ImtJi  preserved  my  spirit." 
Those  only  who  were  accustomed  to  his  ministry 
can  imagine  with  what  sweetness  and  eloquence  he 
would  expatiate  on  such  a  theme  under  such  cir- 
cixmstances.  Shortly  afterward  he  attended  a 
missionary  meeting  in  the  same  city,  and  spoke  at 
some  length  on  the  greatness  and  glory  of  the  mis- 
sionary work  as  viewed  by  one  who  stood  on  the 
borders  of  the  unseen  world.  Mr.  William  Dawson 
was  present  and  had  to  follow  Mr.  Lessey,  but 
when  he  attempted  to  speak  he  was  overpowered 
and  burst  into  teai-s.  Finding  himself  unable  to 
proceed,  he  asked  of  the  chairman  permission  to 
give  out  a  single  verse  of  a  hymn, — 

"  Till  glad  he  lays  this  body  down, 
Thy  servant,  Lord,  attend  ; 
And  O  I  his  life  of  mercy  crown. 
With  a  triumphant  end." 

The  words  were  so  appropriate,  and  the  allusion 
so  striking,  that  it  could  not  fail  to  be  felt  by  the 
audience,  who  svmg  the  verse  with  much  emotion 
and  deep  feehng ;  Mr.  Lessey  buried  his  face  in 
his  cloak  while  the  verse  was  sung,  and  for  some 
time  after  was  deeply  affected. 

The  writer  has  been  present  at  one  scene,  and 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  223 

but  one,  parallel  to  this  in  touching  solemnit)'.  It 
was  at  Oldham-street,  Manchester,  when  the  famed 
and  gifted  Dr.  M'All  preached  the  annual  sermon 
before  the  Wesleyaa  Missionary  Society  for  the 
Manchester  district.  Dr.  M'All  was  pastor  of  a 
Congregational  Church  in  that  town,  beloved  and 
almost  idolized  by  his  people.  He  was  of  an  emi- 
nently catholic  spirit,  and  had,  a  long  time  in  ad- 
vance of  the  anniversary,  consented  to  perform  this 
service.  In  the  mean  time  pulmonary  disease  seized 
upon  him,  and  death  had  unmistakably  mai-ked 
him  as  its  prey.  His  liberal  heart,  however,  was 
bent  upon  this  act  of  fraternization  ^vith  his  Me- 
thodist brethren,  with  many  of  whom  he  was  on 
terms  of  closest  friendship.  On  the  appointed 
evening  he  left  a  sick  room,  and  almost  a  death- 
bed, to  fulfill  his  engagement,  and  no  remonstrance 
could  induce  him  to  swerve  from  his  purpose.  The 
chapel  was  crowded  to  excess  a  full  hour  before 
the  service  commenced,  for  the  eloquent  preacher 
was  universally  beloved,  and  his  voice  in  the  sacred 
desk  had  long  been  silent.  Rev.  William  M.  Bunt- 
ing occupied  the  pulpit  jointly  with  him,  and  took 
the  whole  of  the  service  preparatory  to  the  sermon : 
they  were  kindred  spirits  and  bosom  friends.  Dr. 
M'All  rose  feebly,  and  in  a  low  voice  annoimced  as 
his  text  the  sublime  passage  commencing  the  sixty- 
third  chapter  of  Isaiah,  "  Who  is  this  tJiat  comeih 
from  Edom"  &c.,  fixing,  especially  upon  the  last 
clause  of  the  first  verse,  "  mighty  to  save."  Soon  Ms 
spirit  fired  with  the  theme,  and  for  more  than  an 


224        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

hour  the  Hterally  dying  man  poured  forth  a  tor- 
rent of  impassioned  eloquence  and  evangelical  truth 
that  perfectly  spell-bound  the  large  body  of  minis- 
ters surrounding  him,  while  the  whole  congregation, 
inconveniently  pressed  as  they  were  on  all  sides, 
were  silent  and  motionless  as  the  grave  which  was 
soon  to  close  over  the  speaker.  But  the  enfeebled 
frame  was  unequal  to  the  exertion,  and  Mr.  Bxmt- 
ing  observed  that  the  doctor's  limbs  shook  and  his 
frame  tottered.  Seizing,  therefore,  the  first  break 
in  the  discourse,  he  I'ose  and  requested  the  con- 
gregation to  sing  a  verse  or  two  so  as  to  allow  the 
preacher  a  few  minutes'  rest.  He  then  gave  out 
the  two  following  verses,  embodying,  as  it  will  be 
seen,  the  great  theme  of  the  preacher's  discourse : — 

"  Thou  standest  in  the  lioly  place 

As  now  for  giiilty  sinners  slain  ; 
The  blood  of  sprinkling  speaks,  and  prays. 

All  prevalent  for  helpless  man  ; 
Thy  blood  is  still  our  ransom  found, 
And  speaks  salvation  all  around. 
"  The  smoke  of  thy  atonement  here 

Darken'd  the  sun  and  rent  the  veil, 
Made  the  new  way  to  heaven  appear, 

And  show'd  the  ^eat  Invisible  : 
Well  pleased  in  thee,  our  God  look'd  down, 
And  calls  liis  rebels  to  a  crown.'' 

Tlie  congregation  joined  the  choir  in  singing  ;  the 
immense  volume  of  vocal  praise  pealed  forth  from 
nearly  four  thousand  devout  hearts ;  the  swelling 
symphony  seemed  to  increase  in  power  and  mean- 
ing at  every  line,  and  it  was,  taking  all  the  circum- 
stances into  the  account,  one  of  the  most  solemn 
and  impressive,  yet  e.xciting  acts  of  public  worship 


SKETCHES  OF  WESUEYAN  PREACUERS.  225 

I  was  ever  present  at:  men  stood  with  reverent 
and  heartfelt  joy  in  the  temple  of  the  Lord  of 
hosts  as  in  the  ancient  days  ;  nay,  it  was  as  though 
we  stood  at  the  heavenly  portals,  the  everlasting 
gates  lifted  up,  and  the  vast  congregation  entering 
Avith  songs  of  grateful  triumph  into  the  very  pre- 
sence of  Him  who  was  incarnate  that  he  might 
become  "  mighty  to  save."  The  effect  upon  the 
dying  M'All  was  magical.  Scarcely  had  the  echo 
of  the  last  note  died  on  the  ear,  before  he  sprang, 
inngorated,  to  his  feet,  and,  catching  the  sentiment 
of  the  hymn,  perfectly  electrified  the  audience  for 
an  hour  and  a  quarter  longer,  by  some  of  the  most 
brilUant  flashes  of  genius  and  glowing  eloquence 
that  ever  passed  from  mortal  lips.  Alas !  they 
were  the  notes  of  the  dying  swan — that  service 
was  his  last. 

We  left  Mr.  Lessey  engaged  at  a  missionary 
meeting  at  Exeter.  He  so  far  recovered  from  the 
affliction  which  had  overtaken  him,  as  to  attend  the 
Irish  Conference  in  his  official  character ;  but,  ere 
the  commencement  of  the  EngUsh  Conference,  such 
unfavorable  symptoms  appeared,  that  his  medical 
advisers  strictly  forbade  his  attendance  there.  He 
wrote  to  the  Conference,  announcing  the  decision 
to  which  his  medical  advisers  had  come,  poimng 
forth  the  sorrows  of  his  heart  under  the  disap- 
pointment, yet  expressing  his  entire  resignation  to 
the  divine  will.  He  was  then  at  his  own  home  in 
London,  but  subsequently  removed  to  Luton,  Bed- 
fordshire, a  climate  that  appears  peculiarly  to  have 
15 


226       SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

suited  his  constitution.  Through  the  winter  of  that 
year,  1840,  he  hngered  with  fluctuating  health, 
necessarily  abstaining  from  all  public  exercises,  but 
employing  himself  in  reading  and  correspondence. 
With  spring  came  more  alarming  symptoms  of  his 
disease.  At  his  own  earnest  request,  though  unfit 
for  the  journey,  he  was  removed  to  London  by 
slow  stages.  His  days  were  now  numbered  ;  and 
on  the  10th  of  Jime  he  "passed  through  death 
triumphant  home,"  under  circumstances  that  can- 
not be  better  described  than  in  the  touching  nar- 
rative of  Dr.  Hannah  : — 

"  He  signified  a  wish,  contrary  to  his  usual  custom, 
that  every  one  would  leave  him  at  dinner  time, 
saying  that  he  could  easily  ring  the  bell  if  he 
wanted  anything.  Mrs.  Lessey  begged  that  she 
might  remain  and  dine  with  him ;  at  which  he 
seemed  much  pleased,  and  for  half  an  hour  before 
dinner  talked  cheerfully  ^vith  her.  When  he  had 
partaken  of  his  food,  which  he  appeared  greatly  to 
relish,  he  settled  himself  in  his  easy  chair  for  a 
short  sleep,  while,  at  his  request,  Mrs.  Lessey  em- 
ployed herself  in  writing  letters.  He  rose  about 
four  o'clock,  took  a  few  strawberries,  and  walked 
a  little  in  the  room.  He  then  sat  down,  coughing 
very  slightly.  Mrs.  Lessey  perceived  that  he  was 
spitting  blood,  and  instantly  went  to  him.  He 
quietly  asked  her  for  a  larger  basin.  She  fetched 
one,  and  rang  the  bell.  Pulling  it  again  rather 
hastily,  for  the  blood  began  to  flow  more  profusely 
than  it  had  ever  done  before,  he  calmly  said  to  her, 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  227 

'  Do  not  be  in  a  hurry.'  He  then  rose  from  his 
chair,  put  his  hand  on  his  chest,  and  drew  himseU" 
up,  as  if  oppressed  with  a  feehng  of  sufibcation. 
He  walked  toward  liis  sleeping  apartment,  resting 
one  arm  on  Mrs.  Lessey,  and  tlie  other  on  the 
servant  who  just  then  came  into  the  room.  Sitting 
down  on  the  side  of  the  bed,  he  reclined  his  head 
on  the  bosom  of  liis  Avife,  while  she  supported  him 
vnth  her  left  hand,  and  with  the  right  took  hold 
of  his  hand  as  it  rested  on  his  knee.  An  appre- 
hension of  immediate  danger  seized  her  mind  ;  and 
she  began  to  point  him  to  Christ  as  his  sure  re- 
fuge and  support.  Within  a  minute  she  perceived 
a  slight  quiver,  or  tremulous  motion,  pass  through 
his  frame :  his  countenance  changed,  and  his  head 
drooped.  She  asked  him  if  he  could  not  speak 
one  word  to  her.  But  there  was  no  sound,  nor 
the  gentlest  return  of  the  pressure  of  her  hand. 
Life  had  departed ;  and  all  that  remained  was 
clay.  So  died  this  servant  of  Christ,  in  the  fifty- 
tifth  year  of  his  age,  and  the  thirty-third  of  his 
ministry." 

Mr.  Les!5ey's  personal  appearance  was  not  cal- 
culated to  win  at  first  sight.  Around  the  mouth 
was  an  expression  of  hauteur,  not  to  say  harsh- 
ness, and  there  was  a  flash  of  the  eye,  that  did  not 
make  an  agreeable  first  impression  upon  the  mind 
of  an  observer.  During  one  part  of  his  life,  that 
preceding  his  more  severe  sickness,  while  laboring 
under  considerable  derangement  of  the  nervous 
system,  he  was  somewhat  irritable  and  brusque  to 


228        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

strangers.  It  required  some  tact  to  approach  him 
safely.  This,  however,  was  not  his  natural  dispo- 
sition— it  was  the  result  of  a  long-growing  indis- 
position, and  was  a  subject  of  considerable  mental 
distress  to  himself.  His  private  correspondence 
and  domestic  intercourse  were  the  best  indices 
of  the  affection  and  humility  which  dwelt  in  his 
heart.  By  those  who  knew  him  best,  he  was  most 
deeply  beloved.  He  never  lost  a  friend,  and  the 
affection  of  those  admitted  into  that  relation  seem- 
ed to  increase  with  years. 

Allusion  has  been  made  to  his  acquaintance  with 
the  Rev.  Robert  Hall ;  a  gentleman  not  likely  to 
take  into  familiar  intercourse  and  correspondence 
any  man  of  mediocre  quaUties  or  attainments  either 
of  piety  or  intellect.  No  mere  outside  show  would 
do  for  Robert  Hall ;  no  tinsel  would  dazzle  him. 
Indeed,  he  was  rather  prone  to  judge  harshly  and 
keenly  of  others.  On  one  occasion  a  Methodist 
missionary  meeting  was  held  at  Leicester ;  and  Mr. 
Hall,  Avith  a  friend,  stepped  in  to  hear  and  see  how 
these  Methodists  managed  such  matters.  The 
first  speaker  happened  to  be  Richard  Watson. 
Hall  sat  indifferent  for  the  first  few  sentences,  but 
ere  long  he  was  seen  to  exhibit  indubitable  signs 
of  awakened  interest  and  admiration,  and  soon  he 
was  fully  absorbed  in  Mr.  Watson's  address ;  for 
it  was  one  of  his  masterly  expositions  of  the  entire 
subject  of  Christian  missions.  Frequent  were  Mr. 
Hall's  half-spoken  expressions  of  delight  as  Mr. 
Watson  advanced  from  position  to  position,  ever 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  229 

planting  his  foot  firmly,  and  removing  all  obstacles 
to  further  advancement  imtil  he  had  fully  vindi- 
cated the  noble  enterprise  from  the  attacks  of 
opponents,  and  from  the  misgivings  and  suspicions 
of  faint-hearted  friends.    When  Mr.  Watson  had 

concluded,  the  Rev.  Mr.  rose,  (I  do  not  give 

the  name — I  knew  him  well,  and  little  did  he  de- 
serve Mr.  Hall's  rude  remarks ;  but  he  was  a  per- 
fect antipodes  to  Mr.  Watson,  and  Mr.  Hall's  nerves 
could  not  bear  the  sudden  transition,)  and  in  a 
strain  of  loud  declamation  commenced  his  speech. 
Mr.  Hall  turned  abruptly  to  his  friend  and  said, 
"  0,  let  us  go.  This  is  always  the  way  with  show- 
men— the  lions  first,  and  the  monkeys  afterward." 

Between  Mr.  Lessey  and  Mr.  Hall  a  strong  and 
enduring  friendship  sprang  up,  and  it  originated 
under  rather  peculiar  circumstances.  Mr.  Lessey 
was  visiting  Leicester  to  preach  sermons  on  behalf 
of  the  Wesleyan  Sunday  school.  He  took  the  op- 
portunity of  procuring  an  introduction  to  Mr.  Hall, 
and  at  his  request  preached  for  him  on  the  Sun- 
day morning,  Mr.  Lessey 's  occasional  services  em- 
bracing only  the  afternoon  and  evening.  He  se- 
lected a  theme  on  which  I  have  heard  him  preach 
with  astonishing  eloquence  and  unction — the  trans- 
figuration of  our  Lord.  It  was  a  favorite  topic, 
and  few  men  could  touch  it  with  so  masterly  a 
hand.  Tlie  congregation  were  so  charmed  with 
the  discourse  and  with  the  preacher  that  in  the 
afternoon  a  deputation  waited  upon  him,  offering, 
jointly  with  their  distinguished  pastor,  the  use  of 


230        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS. 

their  chapel  for  the  evening  sermon  in  behalf  of  the 
Weslej'an  Sunday  schools.  The  building  being 
much  larger  than  the  chapel  then  occupied  by  the 
Wesleyans,  the  offer  was  accepted  with  the  same 
promptness  with  which  it  was  made,  and  the  ne- 
cessary announcements  were  promulgated. 

But  now  a  new  difficulty  arose.  Mr.  L.  on  re- 
tiring, as  was  his  wont,  a  short  time  before  the 
commencement  of  the  service,  for  meditation  and 
prayer,  accidentally  saw  a  volume  of  Mr.  Hall's 
sermons  on  the  book  shelves,  took  it  down  and 
opened  upon  a  sermon  which  Mr.  Hall  had 
preached,  in  the  very  pulpit  he  was  about  to  oc- 
cupy, only  a  short  time  before,  upon  the  same 
text  which  he  had  himself  chosen  as  his  sub- 
ject for  that  evening's  discourse.  Any  who  knew 
Mr.  Lessey  would  not  wonder  at  his  feeUng  much 
embari'assed.  He  shnmk  fi-om  standing  on  ground 
already  occupied  by  so  truly  a  giant  in  intellect  as 
Robert  Hall.  Time,  however,  pressed,  and  after 
great  hesitation  he  selected  another  text,  fell  upon 
his  knees  and  earnestly  besought  help  from  God, 
went  to  the  chapel  and  preached  an  eloquent  and 
powerful  sermon,  which  called  forth  the  thanks  of 
Mr.  Hall,  with  whom,  according  to  a  previous  en- 
gagement, he  spent  the  remainder  of  the  evening.* 

*  Robert  Hall,  by  the  way,  was  not  given  to  compliment.  Once, 
when  the  paroxysms  of  pain,  to  which  he  was  all  his  life  subject, 
were  so  increasing  upon  him  that  it  was  deemed  important  for  him 
to  consult  an  eminent  physician  in  London,  he  took  the  opportunity 

of  hearing  the  Rev.  Dr.  .    Self-abased,  and  dissatisfied  with 

himself,  he  returned  to  Leicester,  called  together  the  official  mem- 
bers of  the  church,  and  insisted  upon  resigning  his  office,  from 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  231 


Mr.  Lessey's  preaching  was  eminently  distin- 
giiislied  for  its  richness  and  fullness  of  evangelical 
trutli,  and  the  glow  of  piety  it  diffused  or  enkin- 
dled in  the  congregation.  His  sermons  were  full 
of  Christ — the  atonement,  intercession,  and  priestly 
office  of  "  the  Son  of  man,"  seemed  to  be  the  first 
and  last  of  all  his  studies  ;  and  all  he  said  appeared 
to  gush  almost  unbidden  from  a  heart  sirrcharged 
with  the  glorious  theme.  On  the  priesthood  of 
Christ,  and  his  sympathy  with  his  people,  I  never 
heard  his  equal,  and  very  much  question  whether, 
in  this  respect,  his  superior  has  appeared  in  any 
denomination  since  the  days  of  the  author  of  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews.  This  is  a  theme  on  which, 
perhaps,  ministers  generally  do  not  sufficiently 
dwell — it  is  at  the  very  root  of  all  Christian  confi- 
dence, and  hope,  and  joy ;  and  as  a  subject  for  in- 
vestigation and  discourse  is  inexhaustible.  The 

which  step  it  seemed  as  though  no  argument  could  move  him.  Be- 
fore the  interview  was  closed,  (and  it  was  on  the  Saturday  even- 
ing, by  the  way.)  a  minister  of  the  same  persuasion,  from  a  neigh- 
boring town,  caUcd  upon  Mr.  Hall,  who  immediately  proposed  to 
him  to  occupy  his  pulpit  in  this  strait.  The  visitor,  who  had  a 
considerable  share  of  vanity,  was  elated  at  the  proposal,  but  thought 
it  becoming  to  make  many  refusals  and  protestations  of  his  imfit- 
ness,  &.C.  These  were  all  silenced,  however,  by  Mr.  Hall's  pe- 
remptorj-,  "  Sir,  you  must  preach."  Mr.  Hall  attended,  and  accom- 
panied the  reverend  gentleman  into  the  vestry  at  the  close  of  the 
.ser\-ice.  "  Sir,  I  am  your  debtor,  unspeakably  your  debtor,  sir," 
.said  Mr.  Hall,  the  friends  around  Usteniug  with  astonishment,  for, 
sooth  to  say,  tlie  sermon  had  been  remarkable  for  little  beyond  its 
pedantry  and  notliingness.  "  Sir,  your  sermon  has  done  me  good  ; 
It  has  broken  a  snare  in  which  the  devil  had  entangled  me.    I  had 

been  up  to  London,  sir,  and  had  heard  that  great  man.  Dr.  ,  and 

was  so  mortified  vrith  myself  that  I  resolved  never  to  preach  again. 
But,  sir,  I  have  heard  you,  and  now,  sir,  I  shall  preach  again  with 
Bome  comfort." 


232        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

first  sermon  I  heard  from  him  was  on  this  topic. 
All  the  rich  stores  of  a  mind  taught  to  derive  its 
consolations  from  faith  in  the  sympathy  of  Him 
who  "  was  in  all  points  tempted  like  as  we  are," 
were  poured  forth  before  the  congregation ;  and 
the  people  were  lifted  out  of  themselves  in  con- 
templation of  their  oneness  with  him,  who,  as  their 
elder  Brother,  and  as  "  High  Priest  over  the  house 
of  God,"  ever  sj^mpathizes  with  our  sorrows,  and 
represents  our  interests  in  the  "courts  above." 
The  feeling  -with  which  Mr.  Lessey  gave  out  the 
first  hymn  awakened  a  holy  joy  and  confidence  in 
one's  breast. 

"Hail,  thou  once  despised  Jesus, 
Hail,  thou  Galilean  King  ; 
Thou  didst  suffer  to  release  us, 
Thou  didst  sure  salvation  bring," 

was  uttered  -with  a  pathos  that  revealed  to  my 
mind  new  poetic  and  spiritual  beauties,  and  that 
seemed  to  fire  the  vast  congregation. 

Proofs  of  the  efficacy  of  his  preaching  were 
abundant.  Few  men  in  modern  days  have  had  so 
many  seals  to  their  ministry  —  so  many  known 
proofs  that  their  word  quickened — as  Mr.  Lessey, 
apart  from  some  known  as  revivalists  ;  and  I  doubt 
whether  any  one  of  that  class  had  so  many  perma- 
nent converts.  He  scarcely  preached  a  sermon 
without  fruit ;  and  oftentimes  the  word  from  his 
lips — from  his  heart — was  blessed  in  an  extraor- 
dinary degree.  The  cause  was,  that  his  sermons 
enlightened  the  understanding  as  well  as  moved 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAX  PREACHERS.  233 

the  feelings — his  preaching  was  hke  the  warm  sun 
illuminating  the  darkness,  melting  the  obduracy  of 
the  sinner's  heart,  and  -NArinning  the  affections  and 
judgment  for  Christ.  On  one  occasion  he  preached 
a  sermon  to  young  people  at  Halifax,  under  which 
upward  of  twenty  young  men  were  moved  to  seek 
the  Lord,  and  all  who  have  not  passed  into  heaven 
remain,  to  this  day,  steadfast  in  the  faith.  To 
that  band  of  young  men,  and  those  whom  they 
again  were  instrumental  in  reclaiming  from  sin  and 
Satan's  power,  may  be  attributed  the  erection  of 
an  additional  chapel  at  Halifax,  and  the  spread  of 
Methodism  to  a  wide  extent  in  that  neighborhood. 
Similar  manifestations  of  the  presence  of  God  ac- 
companied nearly  every  sermon  Mr.  Lessey  preach- 
ed. Nor  was  it  to  be  marveled  at.  Those  who 
were  favored  with  his  correspondence,  know  that 
lie  always  breathed  the  spirit  of  his  Master,  and 
knew  no  toil  in  the  great  work  whereunto  he  was 
called. 

Let  it  not  be  supposed  that,  in  dwelling  upon 
the  more  touching  truths  of  divine  revelation,  Mr. 
Lessey  forgot  to  vindicate  the  justice,  purity,  and 
majesty  of  God,  or  to  hurl  the  terrors  of  the  law 
against  the  profligate  and  impenitent.  His  Sunday 
evening  discoiu'ses  were  sometimes  calculated  to 
make  the  sinner's  flesh  creep  upon  his  bones,  so 
fearful  were  the  pictures  he  drew  of  the  ter- 
rors of  death,  the  eternal  torment,  and  the  mad- 
dening anguish  of  unceasing  wo.  A  glance  of 
his  eye  was  like  the  piercing  of  a  sharp  sword — it 


234        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

was  scarcely  bearable  when  directed  with  its  deep 
blaze — if  I  may  use  the  term — or  its  flash  of  scorn, 
upon  the  enemies  of  the  Redeemer.  No  words, 
even  from  his  own  eloquent  lips,  could  express 
what  that  eye  could — and  he  knew  how  to  use  it. 

In  stature,  Mr.  Lessey  was  about  five  feet  eleven 
inches,  of  robust  frame,  slightly  incUning  to  corpu- 
lency, hair  originally  black,  but  in  later  years 
freely  sprinkled  with  the  frost  of  age.  He  was 
favored  with  a  fine  voice,  capable  of  the  tenderest 
intonations,  and  of  considerable  compass.  His 
complexion  was  somewhat  sallow  and  dark,  and 
the  lines  of  his  face  strongly  marked. 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  235 


t[)oma0  garrison  UJalkcr. 

"  ,  gifted,  noble,  ardent,  kind." 

The  publication,  in  this  country,  of  a  volume  from 
the  pen  of  this  gentleman,  entitled  a  "  Companion 
for  the  Afflicted,"  which  the  Rev.  Dr.  Peck,  in  an 
introductory  page,  fitly  characterizes  as  "  precious," 
naturally  suggests  liis  introduction  to  the  reader  of 
these  sketches.  The  book  is  comparatively  a  re- 
cent production,  and  is  a  fair  criterion  by  which  to 
judge  of  the  author's  ministerial  talents.  There 
have  been  circumstances  in  his  personal  history 
peculiarly  adapted  to  call  forth  his  strongest  sym- 
pathies with  those  who  are  called  to  pass  through 
great  tribulation,  and  to  lead  him  to  meditate  fre- 
quently upon  those  mysterious  dispensations  of  the 
divine  government  wluch  ever  and  anon  cast  a 
temporary  gloom  over  the  Christian's  path.  Right- 
ly to  counsel  the  afflicted  is  a  more  difficult  task 
than  many  suppose.  It  involves  nice  and  dehcate 
points.  The  indiscriminate  application  of  Scriptiu-e 
promises  is  rarely  safe  ;  it  is  never  satisfactory  to  an 
intelhgent  and  reflecting  mind.  Those  promises  are 
all  conditional;  they  presuppose  certain  constitu- 
ents of  character.  Christians  are  often  more  eager 
to  claim  a  divine  promise  than  they  are  to  inquire 
into  the  justice  of  their  claim.  Christian  fidelity  is 
a  high  virtue,  and  has  reference  to  the  thoughts 
and  intentions  of  the  heart — the  secret  chambers 


236        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

of  imagery — as  well  as  to  the  outward  actions  and 
the  performance  of  prescribed  duties.  For  want 
of  self-examination  many  fail  to  discover  in  their 
afflictions  the  chastisement  of  their  infidehties,  and 
our  heavenly  Father  has  to  inflict  stroke  upon  stroke 
before  we  are  willing  to  retire  into  our  closets  to 
inquire  what  he  means  and  wherefore  we  are 
chastened.  Hence  the  pastor  of  God's  people 
should  be  diUgent  and  careful  in  the  interpretation 
of  afflictive  dispensations.  He  must  neither  too 
hastily  pour  in  consolation,  nor  needlessly  keep 
open  the  wound.  He  must  discriminate  between 
what,  in  the  moral  government  of  the  Most  High, 
is  permitted  and  what  appointed  ;  between  what  is 
general  and  what  specific ;  what  the  certain  effect 
of  known  causes,  and  what  superior  or  contrary 
thereto.  He  should  exercise  a  wise  care  to  pro- 
mote the  design  of  the  chastisement,  even  though 
it  be  necessary  to  probe  deeply  the  wounds  which 
already  qmver  at  the  slightest  touch  ;  and  there 
should  be,  in  no  less  degree,  a  skillful  and  prompt 
application,  where  justifiable,  of  the  healing  balm — 
those  exceeding  great  and  precious  promises  which 
are  the  heritage  of  God's  faithful  people  when 
afflicted  in  mind,  body,  or  estate.  But  above  all, 
he  is  most  competent  to  "  comfort  those  that  mourn" 
who  has  an  experimental  knowledge  both  of  the 
sorrows  of  tribulation  and  their  antidote.  One 
severe  trial,  sanctified  to  the  sufferer  and  received 
with  self-examination,  will  often  give,  more  than 
volumes  of  theology  and  years  of  study,  a  key  to 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  237 

the  whole  subject.  The  coxinsels  of  one  thus  qua- 
hfied,  oral  or  written,  are  profitable  to  those  who 
are  "  chastened  of  the  Lord  ;"  he  becomes  in  all  the 
fullness  of  the  language  a  "  companion  for  the 
afflicted." 

Such  a  man  is  the  Rev.  T.  H.  Walker.  Gifted 
with  superior  intellect,  a  diUgent  and  extensive 
reader,  a  close  student  of  human  character,  and  a 
careful  observer — with  a  nature  susceptible  of  the 
kindliest  sjTnpathies — always  chaste  in  expression 
and  often  truly  eloquent ;  presernng  the  dignity  of 
the  ministerial  character  whUe  he  cheerfully  per- 
forms its  minutest  duties  ;  he  was  regarded  in  his 
best  days  as  a  model  of  a  Christian  pastor,  and 
commanded  the  best  circuits.  More  recently  he 
has  had  less  prominent  stations.  As  a  preacher 
few  men  can  so  irresistibly  elevate  his  hearers  to  a 
high  standard  both  of  faith  and  practice,  without 
in  the  least  degree  bordering  on  enthusiasm  or 
eccentricity.  Carefully  laying  down  his  principles 
in  the  former  part  of  his  discourse,  he  will,  toward 
its  conclusion,  glowingly  expatiate  upon  the  prin- 
cipal theme,  securing  the  assent  of  the  judgments 
of  his  hearers  while  he  excites  the  most  hallowed 
emotions  within  their  hearts.  In  the  conduct  of 
prayer  meetmgs  he  is  emmently  successful,  especi- 
ally in  addressing  and  encouraging  the  penitent 
and  broken-hearted.  To  the  young  he  is  both 
pastor  and  friend. 

Some  ten  years  ago  Mr.  Walker's  personal  ap- 
pearance was  pleasing  and  imposing.    He  is  about 


238       SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

five  feet  eleven  inches  in  height,  rather  spare  than 
fleshy,  hair  of  raven  blackness,  a  fine  ej'e,  a  patch 
of  color  upon  the  cheek,  closely  resembling  a  hectic 
flush,  especially  when  excited  with  preaching,  and 
of  very  gentlemanly  manners  and  address.  Proba- 
bly the  lapse  of  years,  with  other  circumstances, 
has  ^vrought  a  considerable  change  in  his  outward 
man  since  the  writer  had  the  privilege  of  sitting 
\uider  his  ministry. 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEVAN  PREACHERS.  239 


a^am  Clarke,  CCD.,  1.^.0. 

"  So  then,  humbly  with  liis  God,  and  proudly  independent  of  his 
fellows, 

Walketh  in  pleasures  multitudinous,  the  man  ennobled  by  his 
pen ; 

He  hath  built  up,  glorious  architect,  a  monument  more  durable 
than  brass, 

His  children's  children  shall  talk  of  him  in  love,  and  teach  their 
sons  his  honor ; 

His  dignity  hath  set  him  among  princes,  the  universe  is  debtor  to 
his  worth ; 

His  privilege  is  blessing  for  ever  ;  his  happiness  shineth  now, 
For  he  standeth  of  that  grand  election,  each  man  one  among  a 
thousand, 

Whose  sound  is  gone  out  into  all  lands  and  their  words  to  the  end 
of  the  world." — Proverbial  Philosaphi/. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Clarke,  when  I  first  saw  him,  struck 
me  forcibly,  and  no  less  favorably,  by  his  benevo- 
lent aspect :  his  hair,  white  with  age,  was  thrown 
back  from  his  forehead  and  temples ;  his  complex- 
ion was  ruddy ;  his  step,  for  his  years,  fimi  and 
elastic,  and  his  entire  appearance  indicative  of 
health ;  his  person  of  full  average  height,  and  in- 
cUning  to  corpulency  ;  and  his  features  bland,  de- 
noting openness  and  frankness.  He  was  dressed 
much  in  the  style  of  an  English  country  gentle- 
man— top-boots,  drab  breeches,  blue  coat,  with 
covered  or  sQk  buttons,  pale  buff  vest,  drab  hat, 
and  snow-white  neckcloth — and  had  the  air  of  one 
accustomed  to  the  best  society. 

Every  Methodist  is  probably  aware  that  Dr. 
Clarke  was  of  Irish  birth,  being  a  native  of  Moybeg, 


240       SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


an  inconsiderable  to\yn  in  the  county  of  London- 
deny.  This  could  scarcely  be  known  from  his 
conversation,  the  pecuUar  hut  rich  and  not  unmu- 
sical brogue  of  his  coimtry  having  probably  been 
lost  in  the  acquisition  of  other  languages,  espe- 
cially as  he  left  Ireland  while  yet  a  mere  youth. 
But  perhaps  his  Hibernian  origm  might  be  traced 
in  the  pleasant  egotism  which  was  sometimes  ap- 
parent in  his  character,  some  amusing  instances  of 
which  may  be  found  in  the  Autobiography  Avhich 
foiTOs  the  first  volume  of  the  Memoirs  published 
by  his  family,  and  occasionally,  though  more  rarely, 
in  his  journal  and  familiar  correspondence.  This 
was,  it  might  almost  be  said,  the  only  failing  of  this 
great  man ;  the  opaque  spot  upon  a  character  of 
unsurpassed  lustre  and  transparency.  Even  this 
weakness  was  more  diverting  than  baneful.  It 
sometimes  excited  a  smile,  but  never  awakened 
disrespect.  It  was  a  simplicity  of  candor  which 
indicated  honesty  far  more  than  it  did  vanity  or 
self-complacency,  and  was  the  antipodes  of  parade 
or  assumption  of  superiority ;  of  these  Dr.  Clarke 
could  never  be  rightfully  accused.  His  godly  sin- 
cerity and  fervent  piety  always  outshone  his  scho- 
lastic attainments,  and  his  Christian  principles 
saved  him  from  the  spirit  which  too  often  ac- 
companies such  elevation  among  men  as  that  to 
which  he  attained.  His  freedom  of  speech  re- 
specting himself  partook  of  that  openness,  mutual 
confidence,  and  unrestrained  pleasantry,  which 
private  intercourse  among  EngUshmen  permits  and 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS.  241 

justifies ;  albeit  with  a  bias  in  the  direction  ah-eady 
mentioned. 

There  was  a  native  nobility  in  the  character  of 
Dr.  Clarke.  He  was  above  dissimulation  or  con- 
cealment of  his  sentiments,  and  avowed  them  with 
frankness  when  circumstances  seemed  to  require  it. 
Conscious  of  his  sincerity  and  uprightness,  he  did 
not  in  Ms  ordinary  conversation  pause  to  consider 
what  construction  others  would  or  could  put  upon 
his  words.  And  in  this  he  showed  true  greatness. 
It  is  ever  an  indication  of  littleness  of  mind — of  a 
very  small  amoimt  of  self-reliance — to  be  over 
sohcitous  about  the  opinions  of  others,  or  to  be 
craving  after  public  approbation — to  be  fearful  lest 
oiu-  shghtest  expression  should  be  misconstrued  or 
unappreciated.  Such  a  disposition  betrays  a  con- 
sciousness of  merely  supei-ficial  attainments,  and 
betokens  the  absence  of  that  strength  of  character 
and  rectitude  of  principle  upon  which  the  tmly 
gi-eat  can  fall  back  and  peacefully  recline  amid  any 
amoimt  of  misrepresentation  of  either  words  or 
actions.  To  such  littleness  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  an  entire  stranger,  and  perhaps  cai-ried 
his  frankness  to  an  excess,  as  many  lesser  men  do 
their  circumspection.  Indeed,  upon  a  review  of 
Dr.  Clarke's  "rise  and  progress,"  it  would  have 
been  marvelous  if  he  did  not  sometimes  signify  a 
consciousness  of  the  distinctions  which  had  been 
heaped  upon  him,  never  beyond  his  deserts ;  and 
it  was  a  triumph  of  divine  grace  that  the  honors 
gathered  from  the  church  and  the  world,  in  such 

16 


242        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

merited  profusion,  marred  not  the  harmony  and 
simplicity  of  his  character.  Thrice  was  he,  by  the 
unsought  suffrages  of  his  brethren,  elected  to  the 
highest  office  in  their  gift— the  presidency  of  the 
Conference — a  distinction  which  in  his  day  no  other 
preacher  attained.  Among  the  people,  his  earnest, 
experimental  preaching,  and  his  numerous  theolo- 
gical writings,  had  secured  to  him  a  universal  popu- 
larity. His  learned  and  invaluable  Commentary 
had  established  among  all  other  religious  denomi- 
nations, and  among  learned  men  generally,  his  high 
reputation  as  a  scholar.  His  acquaintance  was 
courted  by  the  savans  of  Europe ;  a  prince  of  the 
House  of  Brunswick  (the  Duke  of  Sussex)  delight- 
ed to  associate  with  him ;  the  British  and  Foreign 
Bible  Society  openly  acknowledged  their  indebted- 
ness to  him,  not  only  for  counsel  and  aid  in  the 
matter  of  translating  the  Scriptures  into  the  ori- 
ental languages,  but  in  devising  and  casting  model 
founts  of  oriental  type ;  the  British  government, 
against  the  repeated  expression  of  his  wishes,  re- 
tained for  ten  years  his  services  in  deciphering  and 
arranging  its  ancient  manuscripts,  and  frankly  ex- 
pressed its  indebtedness  to  him  by  placing  upon 
its  imperishable  records  a  memorial  of  his  "  exten- 
sive leaniing  and  indefatigable  industry ;"  yet  he 
still  remained,  as  in  the  days  of  his  youth,  a 
Methodist  preacher,  in  spirit,  in  labors,  in  accepta- 
bility, and  in  usefulness ;  one  with  his  brethren  in 
ardent  attachment  to  the  principles  and  economy 
of  Wesleyan  Methodism,  as  handed  down  to  them 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  243 

by  its  founder,  and  so  wonderfully  o^vned  of  God 
as  a  means  for  the  Avorld's  salvation ; — its  fearless 
advocate,  and  its  able  defender. 

Ten  years  subsequent  to  the  time  referred/ to  at 
the  commencement  of  this  sketch,  the  writer  next 
saw  and  heard  Dr.  Clarke  in  the  pulpit  of  Brunswick 
Chapel,  Leeds.  He  was  then  more  clerically  attir- 
ed, his  dress  being  such  as  is  generally  worn  by  his 
associates  in  the  ministry.  He  preached  twice  on 
that  day  in  behalf  of  the  trust-funds  of  the  chapel, 
which  was  densely  crowded.  The  two  collections, 
taken  up  in  the  usual  way  in  boxes  or  plates, 
amounted  to  about  two  hundred  and  tifty  pounds 
sterhng.  I  remember  feeling  some  disappointment 
under  the  morning  sermon,  especially  in  the  former 
part,  in  new  of  the  preacher's  high  reputation  for 
learning  ;  but  this  feeling  subsided  toward  the  close, 
borne  down  by  the  torrent  of  evangelical  truth  by 
which  the  discourse  was  distinguished.  As  the 
doctor  approached  the  conclusion  of  the  sermon, 
and  gathered  into  one  rich  cluster  the  vast  truths 
which  his  arguments  had  unfolded  in  the  former 
parts,  his  face  glowed  with  deep  feeling,  and  after 
dwelling  for  a  moment  upon  their  vast  importance, 
he  swept  his  hand  across  the  space  before  him,  as 
a  farmer  would  in  sowing  gram  broadcast,  and  ex- 
claimed, with  great  energy,  "  There,  take  these 
glorious  truths  among  you — make  the  most  of 
them  for  your  personal  salvation  and  comfort ; 
they  are  truths,  I  \n\\  vouch  for  them — for  that  I 
will  stake  my  reputation  for  intellect  and  common 


244        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

sense  ;  and  if  they  hung  but  by  a  single  hair  of  this 
gray  head,  (pointing  to  his  snowy  locks,)  that 
single  hair  would  be  found  so  firmly  united  to  the 
throne  of  the  Redeemer,  that  all  the  malignity  of 
hell  and  the  sophistry  of  the  world  might  be  defied 
to  cut  it  in  two."  The  eflfect  of  this,  but  feebly 
given  from  memory,  was  magical.  A  burst  of  joy 
broke  from  the  auditory,  which  showed  that  they 
had  made  the  application  of  his  subject  which  he 
desired.  The  evening  sermon*  was  a  still  richer 
feast.  The  doctor  caught  fire  at  an  expression  in 
the  second  hymn,  and  the  sermon  was  full  of  the 
unction  of  the  Holy  One. 

No  just  opinion  of  Dr.  Clarke  as  a  preacher  can 
be  formed  from  his  published  sermons.  This  will 
be  conceded  by  all  who  have  lieard  him  preach, 
and  read  his  printed  discourses.  In  the  pulpit  he 
labored  to  effect  present  good  ;  through  the  press 
he  spoke  to  future  generations,  and  probably  con- 
sidered that  while  the  majority  of  those  who  at- 
tended upon  his  ministry  were  imlearned,  a  fair 
proportion  of  those  who  bought  and  read  published 
sermons  were  accustomed  to  reflect,  were  capable 
of  pursuing  and  comprehending  more  elaborate 

*  111  writing  tliese  sketches,  for  the  material  of  which  I  have  had 
to  depend  solely  upon  memorv',  I  have  been  frequently  struck  with 
the  comparative  facility  with  wliich  the  character  and  rubstance 
of  morning  discourses  can  be  recalled,  as  distinguished  fi.  -n  those 
deUvered  by  the  same  preachers  on  the  evenings  of  the  sam.  days. 
It  is  an  evidence  of  the  uniformity  of  plan  and  purpose  which  dis- 
tinguishes the  English  preachers.  Physiologically,  the  fact  might 
perhaps  be  made  to  support  some  curious  theories,  were  tliis  the 
place  to  prosecute  the  inquiry. 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS.  245 


arguments,  and  could  appreciate  the  additional  aids 
furnished  by  learning  and  science.  He  would  not 
introduce  his  erudition  vrheve  it  might  prove  an 
impediment,  rather  than  an  auxiliaiy,  to  the  great 
work  which  lay  near  his  heart ;  neither  would  he 
conceal  it  where  there  was  a  possibility  of  its  pro- 
moting the  cause  of  religion  and  tmth.  In  this 
he  copied  the  model  for  all  Christian  ministers — 
the  great  apostle  to  the  Gentiles — whose  vast  ac- 
quirements in  Jewish  literature  rarely  appeared, 
except  in  the  richness  of  his  exhibitions  of  gospel 
privileges.  His  learning  constituted  the  deep  and 
broad  foundation  of  that  pillar  which,  in  the  person 
of  the  apostle,  was  set  for  the  defense  of  the  truth, 
and  not  the  ornament  of  its  capital ;  ministering  to 
its  strength,  rather  than  to  its  decoration. 

In  his  style  or  method  of  preaching  Dr.  Clarke 
greatly  differed  from  most  of  his  brethren.  His 
was  preaching,  as  distinguished  on  the  one  hand 
from  mere  sermonizing,  altogether  too  popular  in 
the  present  day ;  and  on  the  other  hand  from  mere 
exposition,  in  which  so  few  excel,  and  in  which 
none  can  excel  mthout  close  and  critical  study  of 
the  Holy  Scriptures.  An  occasional  hearer,  imless 
more  than  ordinarily  intelligent  and  attentive,  would 
perhaps  think  him  negUgent  of  plan  or  outline,  as 
he  rarely  announced  his  divisions  and  subdivisions. 
But  the  entire  plan  existed  in  his  own  mind,  and 
sometimes,  at  the  conclusion  of  a  discourse,  he 
would  recapitulate  the  main  points,  so  as  to  show 
the  harmony  of  all  he  had  said.    And  the  ob- 


246        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PEEACHER8. 

servant  hearer  would  note,  that  through  the  whole 
discourse  the  plan  was  unfolded  by  degrees  in  the 
execution  of  all  the  parts — an  aim  was  apparent 
all  the  way  through.  As  Mr.  Everett  observes : 
"  In  cases  where  order  was  the  least  perceptible, 
the  fine  flow  of  thought  and  of  feeling  in  which  he 
indulged  was  invariably  taking  witliin  its  vast  and 
sweeping  motion  whatever  of  the  useful  came  in 
its  way  in  its  course  to  the  ocean  of  eternity ; 
whither  he  was  always,  after  due  preparation  here, 
conducting  his  hearers.  Niunerous  as  might  be 
the  Avindings  of  an  argument  through  which  he 
conducted  his  auditors,  it  was  still,  like  the  same 
stream,  working  out  its  own  natural  bed  amidst  the 
mountains  and  over  the  plains,  coming,  as  it  were, 
from  the  heights  of  the  understanding,  and  finally 
settling  down  into  the  heart,  in  fixed  and  steady 
purpose."  The  common-place  plan  of  "  three 
heads,  and  a  conclusion,"  was  his  aversion.  There 
was  the  warmth  of  life  in  every  discourse  he  de- 
livered. The  whole  Bible  was  liis  book,  and  what- 
ever text  he  might  select,  the  light  of  the  volume 
beamed  through  it.  His  favorite  method  was  to 
take  up  some  broad,  general  truths — to  dwell  upon 
the  harmony  of  divine  revelation,  and  the  fullness 
of  the  divine  economy  of  grace — and  then  to  mete 
them  out  to  his  hearers  in  all  their  adaptation  to 
human  necessities,  and  the  Christian's  comfort. 

It  must  not  be  supposed  that  he  neglected  pre- 
vious preparation,  over  and  above  the  great  stores 
which  were  accumulated  in  his  extensive  reading. 


SKETCEIES  OF  WESLEYAN  FKEACHERS.  247 


His  sermons  were  carefully  studied,  but  more  in 
the  thoughts  than  in  the  words  ;  the  phraseology, 
and  the  extent  of  range  to  be  taken,  depended  upon 
the  influence  which  he  might  receive  from  on  high.* 
His  action  was  not  in  any  way  remarkable ;  it  was 
natural,  at  times  not  peculiarly  graceful,  but  ge- 
nerally appropriate,  and  rarely  otherwise  than 
chaste.  His  voice  was  strong  and  clear,  rather 
monotonous  in  the  more  argumentative  portions 
of  his  sermon,  but  capable  of  very  effective  out- 
breaks toward  the  close. 

In  personal  character  few  men  have  exhibited 
more  that  was  lovely  and  of  good  report  than  Dr. 
Clarke.  Benevolence  and  magnanimity  were  his 
prominent  characteristics.  His  kindness  of  heart 
displayed  itself  not  less  in  the  minor  courtesies  of 
social  life  than  in  the  fulfillment  of  more  important 

*  The  following  will  afford  a  key  to  the  manner  in  which  Dr. 
Clarke  often  preached  ;  and  there  can  be  little  wonder  that  the 
word  from  his  lips  was  accompanied  with  the  demonstration  of  the 
Spirit  and  with  power.  IBs  daughter  had  requested  liim  to  repeat 
a  sermon  lie  had  preached  some  years  before,  from  Daniel  ii,  31-35, 
to  which  he  replied  that  he  had  not  even  a  note  of  the  sermon. 
His  daughter  expressed  her  surprise  that  he  could  preach  a  sermon, 
of  that  character,  involving  the  most  minute  particulars  of  the  ge- 
ographical position  of  empires,  their  political  and  chronological 
events,  &c.,  without  some  notes  ;  to  which  he  rephed  : — "  Mar>-,  I 
had  the  whole  world  before  me  as  clear  as  noonday.  I  felt  as  if  I 
was  standing  upon  the  world,  not  in  it ;  it  was  all  spread  before  the 
eye  of  my  mind ;  I  saw  it  all,  and  therefore  could  describe  it  all." 
On  its  being  subjoined,  "  Then,  father,  I  should  imagine  that  you 
saw  also  the  '  stone  cut  out  without  hands  ;'  "  he  answered  with 
energy-,  "Yes,  Mar>-,  I  felt,  while  I  was  dwelling  on  the  power  of 
God,  and  on  his  mercy  as  revealed  in  Christ  for  the  salvation  of 
man,  as  if  I  vias  taking  hold  of  the  pillars  of  eternity,  and  on  them  I 
hung  the  truth  of  God,  which  never  can  be  shaken  ;  and  his  mercy  which 
it  declared,  and  which  can  never  know  an  end." — Memoir. 


248        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


duties ;  it  was  his  nature,  confirmed  and  eleyated 
by  the  voluntary  adoption  of  that  noblest  maxim, 
"  Do  unto  others  as  ye  would  that  they  should  do 
imto  you."  Many  instances  of  this,  in  themselves 
perhaps  trifles,  but  as  illustrative  of  an  important 
principle,  are  within  the  writer's  knowledge,  one 
of  which  may  be  mentioned  here.  Once,  when 
preaching  in  a  large  manufacturing  town  in  York- 
shire, and  staying  at  the  house  of  a  wealthy  mem- 
ber of  the  society,  the  preachers  on  the  circuit, 
their  families,  and  other  friends,  were  invited  to 
sup  with  him.  An  Englishman  loves  his  supper, 
albeit  it  is  the  fourth  meal  of  the  day,  and  Me- 
thodist preachers  no  less  than  others,  especially 
after  preaching  three  times,  walking  perhaps  six 
or  eight  miles,  and  comparatively  fasting  all  day. 
Then  the  anxieties  of  the  day  are  over,  the  mind 
relaxes  from  its  rigid  tension  into  grateful  cheer- 
fulness, the  home  associations  of  the  man,  the 
husband  and  the  father,  resume  their  influence, 
after  being  kept  in  abeyance  by  the  onerous  sense 
of  ministerial  duty  and  responsibihty,  and,  whether 
at  home  or  abroad,  he  unbends — imhamesses,  so 
to  speak.  In  the  society  of  English  Methodist 
preachers,  under  such  circvimstanees,  the  writer 
has  spent  some  of  the  most  profitable  and  delight- 
ful hours  of  his  life.  But  to  return.  Among  the 
edibles  were  roasted  potatoes — a  favorite  method 
of  cooking  this  vegetable  across  the  water,  where 
they  have  it  of  finer  quality  than  we  have — one 
of  which  a  young  lady,  who  sat  next  to  Dr.  Clarke, 


SKETCHES  01"  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  249 


cut  with  a  knife,  the  cold  blade  of  which,  by  con- 
densing the  steam,  immediately  made  the  vege- 
table sad  and  watery.  This  caught  the  doctor's 
eye,  and  with  parental  kindness  he  spoke  aside  to 
the  young  lady  :  "  Stay,  my  dear,  lay  that  aside. 
I  am  an  Irishman  ;  let  me  show  you  how  to  treat 
my  country's  fruit.  As  the  skin  is  never  eaten, 
you  need  feel  no  hesitation  about  taking  a  roasted 
potato  in  your  fingers,  thus,"  breaking  one  in  twain, 
and  pressing  out  the  flour-like  contents  of  the 
"  jacket "  upon  his  plate.  I  have  often  heard  the 
lady  say,  that  this  was  done  Avith  so  much  paternal 
urbanity,  that  the  doctor's  manner  won  from  her 
an  almost  filial  confidence  and  love,  trifling  as  was 
the  circumstance  in  itself. 

To  the  young  he  was  always  benignant,  and 
over  their  peace  and  welfare  ever  watchful.  This 
disposition  showed  itself,  where  it  ever  should  be 
most  manifest,  in  the  bosom  of  his  family,  Avhere 
he  was  indeed  deeply  beloved.  Never,  perhaps, 
was  parent  more  esteemed  and  venerated,  while 
his  children  found  in  his  unvarying  kindness  the 
aliment  and  object  of  tenderest  and  most  confiding 
affection.  Amid  his  numerous  engagements,  and 
the  eagerness  with  which  his  society  was  sought 
by  the  great  and  learned,  home  was  to  him  the 
only  earthly  paradise — the  haven  of  rest — the  ark 
to  which  he  was  ever  anxious  to  return  : — 

"  The  spot  of  earth  supremely  blest, 
A  dearer,  sweeter  spot,  than  all  the  rest." 

The  oriental  scholar  and  learned  commentator. 


250        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


the  companion  of  savans  and  of  princes,  was  still 
more  the  loving  husband,  the  tender  father,  the 
faitliful  guardian,  and  the  cheerful,  even  playful, 
associate  of  his  children.  Of  "  sighs  that  speak  a 
father's  wo  "  he  had  but  little  experience,  because 
he  made  it  his  first  concern  to  rule  well  his  own 
household  ;  to  go  in  and  out  before  his  children 
as  the  servant  and  minister  of  Christ ;  to  regulate 
all  his  domestic  intercourse  with  reference  to  its 
influence  upon  their  highest  interests  ;  to  win  then- 
confidence  by  his  own  integrity,  candor,  and  affec- 
tionate demeanor ;  and  in  all  thbgs,  by  example 
and  by  counsel,  to  train  them  in  the  nurture  and 
admonition  of  the  Lord.  In  fine,  though  he  could 
not  impart  to  them  saving  grace,  he  showed  them 
daily  its  blessed  effects  in  his  own  life  and  conversa- 
tion ;  by  living  as  a  Christian,  he  "  lured  to  heaven, 
and  led  the  way,"  praying  often  with  and  for  his 
children,  that  they  might  follow  him  as  he  followed 
Christ.  When  parents  thus  strive  in  all  things, 
small  as  well  as  great,  for  the  salvation  of  their 
children,  God  is  never  slack  concerning  his  promises ; 
and  Dr.  Clarke,  long  before  his  death,  saw  all  his 
children  walking  in  the  commandments  of  the  Lord. 

Indeed,  those  who  knew  not  Dr.  Clarke  in  his 
more  private  relations — as  the  head  of  a  family, 
and  as  a  pastor,  guide,  counselor,  and  friend — were 
ignorant  of  the  true  worth  and  greatness  of  his 
character.  It  was  in  these  relations  that  the  man 
and  the  Christian  shone  with  that  holiest  radiance, 
that  clear  lustre,  which  none  could  misunderstand ; 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  251 

here  his  generosity  and  benevolence  flowed  in  a 
constant  current,  unobserved  and  seeking  not  ob- 
servation. Here  the  hallowed  principle  of  charity 
was  inculcated — here  its  promptings  were  unos- 
tentatiously indulged.  Now,  in  a  season  of  national 
scarcity,  when  the  subject  of  our  sketch  was  yet 
poor  in  this  Avorld's  goods,  and  his  young  family 
and  truly  Christian  wife  suffered  in  common  with 
others,  he  might  be  seen  at  the  frugal  board,  gath- 
ering together  his  httle  ones,  "  talking  to  them  on 
the  subject,  showing  them  their  staning  fellow- 
creatures,  who  in  cold,  nakedness,  and  famine,  be- 
sought reUef,"  imtil  their  hearts  were  aficcted,  and 
"  each  would  put  by  a  portion  of  its  breakfast  or 
supper  for  these  distressed  poor ;  at  its  distribu- 
tion they  were  all  present,  and  were  thus  taught 
to  see  and  feel  the  blessings  of  self-denial  in  the 
happiness  it  produced  to  others."  Or  when  far 
away  on  his  journeys,  oppressed  with  labors  and 
sickness,  making  daily  mention  in  his  letters  of 
those  who  were  recipients  of  his  boimty,  and  giving 
to  Mrs.  Clarke,  his  wiUing  co-worker  in  all  Chris- 
tian labor,  such  instructions  as,  "I  know  you  will 
not  let  poor  Mrs.  Fox  be  neglected ;  while  she 
lives  send  her  something,  with  my  blessing,  every 
day."  From  the  conversation  of  those  who  knew 
him  well,  and  from  his  published  Memou's  and 
correspondence,  such  proofs  of  his  generosity  and 
Christian  benevolence  might  be  multiplied  to  al- 
most any  extent.  Let  these  allusions  to  those  dis- 
tinguishing traits  in  the  character  of  Dr.  Clarke 


252        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEFAN  PREACHERS. 

suffice,  and  let  us  next  look  at  the  same  man  mov- 
ing in  another  sphere. 

It  is  but  too  common  for  those  who  first  had 
"the  gospel  preached  to  them,"  to  imagine  that 
its  privileges  are  confined  to  their  own  class,  and 
that  the  titled  and  wealthy  are  all  unbehevers  and 
wicked,  and  given  up  to  work  iniquity  with  greedi- 
ness. I  strongly  suspect  that  a  good  deal  of  un- 
charitableness  of  this  kind  will  meet  with  its  re- 
buke at  the  day  of  judgment.  It  is  still  more 
common  for  the  poor  to  associate  pride  and  haughti- 
ness of  demeanor  Avith  elevated  station.  Dema- 
gogues and  discontented  men,  who  would  be 
dissatisfied  with  any  condition  of  society  while 
there  remained  a  Mordecai  sitting  in  the  gate  who 
refused  obeisance  to  them,  and  who  for  unworthy 
ends  seek  popular  favor,  foster  this  censorious 
spirit,  and  have  so  long  united,  in  their  denuncia- 
tions, "  aristocracy  "  and  imperious  pride,  that  the 
unreflecting  multitude  deem  the  two  inseparable 
and  synonymous  ;  and  too  many  good  men  have 
so  often  used  the  word  in  this  offensive  sense, 
which  is  at  variance  with  its  original  meaning,  that 
they  have,  perhaps  unintentionally,  increased  the 
popular  uncharitableness.  The  true  "  aristoci'acy" 
of  every  nation  are  those  who  wield  extensive  in- 
fluence, and  fill  high  stations,  derived  from  parent- 
age, wisdom,  piety,  valor,  or  property.  To  be 
aristocratic  is  not  necessarily  to  be  imperious,  op- 
pressive, or  unapproachable.  Strictly  speaking, 
the  reverse  is  the  fact ;  it  is  only  those  who  assume 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  253 

to  be  aristocratic  that  have  brought  disgrace  upon 
the  term ;  and  the  distinction  should  be  borne  in 
mind,  if  we  would  do  justice  to  all  men. 

Allusion  has  already  been  made  to  the  friendship 
of  the  Duke  of  Sussex  for  Dr.  Clarke — a  friendship 
honorable  aUke  to  both  parties ;  because  on  the 
one  side  freely,  and  cordially,  and  openly  bestowed ; 
and,  on  tlie  other,  enjoyed  without  the  least  dimi- 
nution of  personal  independence  or  Christian  dig- 
nity. Amid  the  temptations  and  allurements  of 
his  high  position,  the  Duke  of  Sussex  preserved, 
not  only  an  imtainted  moral  character,  but  a  Chris- 
tian deportment  worthy  of  many  who  make  higher 
and  bolder  profession ;  while  his  love  of  learning 
and  his  urbanity  of  disposition  led  him  to  associate 
with  good  and  learned  men  without  distinction  of 
creed  or  rank.  He  whose  society  was  courted  by 
the  highest  of  the  realm  corresponded  with  the 
Methodist  preacher,  (for  that  office  Dr.  Clarke 
jiever  laid  aside,)  received  him  familiarly  at  his 
own  table,  and  returned  the  visits  at  the  doctor's 
house.  Indeed,  I  suspect  there  was  that  in  the 
reverend  gentleman's  intercourse  with  his  illustri- 
ous friend  which  plamly  indicated  that  the  visiting 
must  not  be  all  on  one  side ;  that  he  would  not 
dance  attendance  merely  for  the  honor  of  the  thing ; 
and  that,  though  he  affected  no  social  equaUty, 
he  was  not  incUned  to  forget  that  self-respect 
which  commands  respect  from  others,  however 
superior  in  worldly  rank  and  associations.  Nor 
can  it  be  doubted  that  the  duke  cheerfully  con- 


254        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


ceded  this  tribute  to  the  worth  of  him  whose 
friendship  he  had  himself  sought.  For  all  that  re- 
lates to  this  intercourse  I  am,  of  course,  indebted 
to  the  "  Memoir"  before  alluded  to.  An  invita- 
tion had  been  given  to  the  doctor  by  the  duke, 
through  his  private  secretary,  requesting  him  to 
call  upon  him  whenever  he  visited  London,  when 
he  would  "  show  him  his  library,  and  be  most 
happy  to  make  the  acquamtance  of  a  man  of  whose 
talents  and  character  he  had  formed  so  exalted  an 
opinion."  This  was  in  February,  1822  ;  in  May  of 
the  same  year  the  doctor  was  in  London,  preach- 
ing at  the  missionary  anniversaries,  and  as  in  cour- 
tesy bound,  wrote  a  note  to  the  duke's  secretary 
simply  saying  that  he  was  in  town,  leaving  the  re- 
newal of  the  invitation  perfectly  optional  with  his 
royal  highness.  In  the  course  of  the  same  day  a 
special  invitation  was  sent  for  him  to  dine  with  the 
duke  the  next  day  at  Kensington  Palace.  The 
sequel  I  will  give  in  Dr.  Clarke's  own  words  : — 

"  I  went,  and  was  received  by  his  royal  high- 
ness in  his  closet,  and  was  led  by  himself  through 
his  library,  where  he  showed  me  several  curious 
things,  and  condescended  to  ask  me  several  biblio- 
graphical questions,  desiring  his  librarian  from 
time  to  time  to  note  the  answers  down  as  '  curious 
and  important.'  The  dinner  came — the  company 
was  select :  his  royal  highness,  Dr.  Parr,  the 
highest  Greek  scholar  in  Europe,  Sir  Anthony 
Carlisle,  the  Rev.  T.  Maurice,  of  the  British  Mu- 
seum, the  honorable          Oower,  the  honorable 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  255 

Colonel  Wildman,  Sir  Alexander  Johnstone,  Lord 
Blcssington,  T.  J.  Pettigrew,  Esq.,  and  Adam 
Clarke.  We  sat  do\vn  about  seven  o'clock,  and 
dinner  was  over  about  half-past  nine ;  after  which 
the  tables  were  drawn,  and  all  retired  to  the  pa- 
vilion, where  tea  and  coffee  were  served  about 
eleven.  At  dinner  I  was  pledged  by  his  royal 
highness,  Dr.  Parr,  Colonel  Wildman,  and  others, 
and  managed  so  well,  having  made  the  honorable 

  Gower,  who  sat  at  the  foot  of  the  table,  my 

confidant,  as  not  to  drink  more  than  two  glasses 
of  wine,  though  the  bottles  Avent  roxmd  many 
times.  I  wished  much  to  get  away,  though  the 
conversation  was  unique,  curious,  and  instructive, 
fearing  your  mother  would  be  uneasy  respecting 
my  safety. 

"  I  was  informed  I  must  remain  till  all  the  com- 
pany had  departed,  which  was  about  twelve  o'clock. 
When  they  Avere  all  gone,  the  duke  sat  down  on 
his  sofa,  and  beckoned  me  to  come  and  sit  down  be- 
side him,  on  his  right  hand  ;  and  he  entered  for  a 
considerable  time  into  a  most  familiar  conversation 
with  me.  At  last  a  servant  in  the  royal  Hvery 
came  to  me,  saying,  '  Sir,  the  carriage  is  in  wait- 
ing.' I  rose  up,  and  his  I'oyal  highness  rose  at  the 
same  time,  took  me  afifectionately  by  the  hand,  told 
me  I  must  come  and  visit  him  some  morning  when 
he  was  alone,  which  time  should  be  arranged  be- 
tween me  and  his  secretary ;  bade  me  a  friendly 
'  Good  night ;'  and  I  was  then  conducted,  by  the 
servant,  to  the  door  of  the  palace ;  when,  lo  and 


266        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

behold,  one  of  the  royal  carnages  was  in  waiting, 
to  carry  a  Methodist  preacher,  your  old  weather- 
beaten  father,  to  his  own  lodgings." 

In  November  of  the  same  year,  the  doctor  for- 
warded to  tlie  Duke  of  Sussex  certain  portions  of 
his  Commentary,  with  a  long  letter  descriptive  of 
his  design  in  its  publication,  and  his  labors  in  its 
preparation.  To  this  the  duke  replied  at  some 
length,  the  whole  letter  being  in  his  own  hand- 
writing. In  it  are  sentiments  so  worthy  of  a 
prince,  and  so  illustrative  of  the  position  taken  in 
my  first  allusion  to  the  subject,  that  I  cannot  for- 
bear making  a  few  extracts.  After  informing  his 
correspondent  that  his  "  precious  work  is  already 
carefully  placed  in  his  Ubrary,"  he  says : — 

"  It  is  with  the  Almighty  alone,  who  knoweth 
the  hearts  and  most  inward  thoughts  of  every  one 
of  his  creatures,  to  recompense  with  everlasting 
grace  your  great  exertions  and  activity  in  expound- 
ing and  publishing  the  divine  truths  to  the  world 

at  large  I  feel  most  thankful  to  you  for 

having  selected  me  as  a  witness  of  your  dihgence, 
assiduity,  and  perseverance,  in  this  godlike  work, 
by  the  presentation  to  me  of  a  copy  of  your  vo- 
luminous work — the  produce  of  the  fruits  of  your 
industry.  This  kind  distinction,  believe  me,  is  not 
thrown  away  upon  one  who  is  either  insensible  to 
the  compliment,  or  ignorant  of  the  value  of  the 
gift ;  and  most  faithfully  do  I  promise  to  read, 
consult,  and  meditate  upon,  your  faithful,  luminous, 
and  elaborate  explanations  of  the  sacred  book.  As 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEV  AN  PREACHERS.  257 

far  as  I  have  presumed  to  dive  into,  and  to  occupy 
myself  with,  the  holv  volumes,  I  feel  satisfied  of 
their  divine  origin  and  tratli ;  and  that  they  con- 
tain likewise  more  matters  than  any  one,  and 
myself  in  particular,  can  ever  aspire  fully  to  under- 
stand. This  belief  ought,  however,  in  no  wise  to 
slacken  our  diligence,  or  damp  our  ardor  in  at- 
tempting a  constant  research  after  the  attainment 
of  knowledge  and  of  truth,  as  we  may  flatter  om-- 
selves,  although  unable  to  reach  the  goal,  still  to 
approach  much  nearer  to  its  portals ;  which,  of 
itself,  is  a  great  blessing,  as  I  am  comanced  that, 
if  we  only  follow  strictly  the  rules  and  regulations 
contained  in  the  Scriptures  for  the  guidance  of  our 
conduct  in  this  world,  we  may  present  ourselves 
(although  aware  of  our  own  imworthiness)  before 
the  divine  throne  with  a  confident  hope  of  forgive- 
ness, from  the  knowledge  we  acquire  therein  of 
His  mercy  to  all  truly  penitent  sinners. 

"  These  objects,  besides  mam-  others  which  seem 
to  have  occupied  tlie  greatest  and  most  valuable 
part  of  your  active  life,  cannot  fail  of  being  most 
interesting  to  the  historian,  the  theologian,  the  le- 
gislator, and  the  philosopher :  from  all  these  details 
the  mind  will  undoubtedly  derive  rich  soiurces  of 
information  wherewith  to  make  researches,  and 
thence  to  ground  deductions.  To  these  I  shall  as- 
siduously apply  myself  when  retired  in  my  closet ; 
and,  as  my  heart  and  mind  improve,  I  shall  feel  my 
debt  of  gratitude  toward  you  daily  increasing,  an 
obligation  I  shall  ever  be  proud  to  own ;  and  with 
17 


258        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS. 


which  sentiment  I  have  the  pleasixre  to  conclude, 
signing  myself,  dear  sir,  your  sincerely  obliged  and 
truly  devoted,  Augustus  Frederick. 

"  Bognor,  Dec.  24,  1822." 

On  several  other  occasions  Dr.  Clarke  visited  the 
duke,  and  it  is  pleasant  to  observe  the  growing 
familiarity  between  them.  The  second  \isit  was 
by  special  invitation  to  meet  the  Duke  of  Hamilton, 
and  he  was  requested  to  bring  hi.s  son  (John  W. 
Clarke)  with  him.  This  he  did.  So  soon  as  they 
entered  the  pavilion,  the  host  singled  him  out,  took 
him  by  the  hand,  and  introduced  him  to  two  East 
India  gentlemen  as  his  "friend,  Dr.  Adam  Clarke, 
who  would  speak  Persic  or  Arabic  with  any  of 
them."  The  doctor  immediately  adds,  (in  the  let- 
ter to  Mrs.  C,  and  it  confirms  what  has  been  said 
about  his  exacting  in  this  intercourse  the  respect 
and  courtesy  which  he  showed,)  "  I  turned,  and 
taking  John  by  the  arm,  said,  '  May  it  please  your 
royal  highness,  I  have  the  honor  of  presenting  to 
you  my  eldest  son ;'  he  took  him  by  the  hand,  and 
bade  him  welcome,  and  on  the  arrival  of  any  new 
guest  introduced  both  myself  and  our  son."  An- 
other visit  he  thus  describes,  and  with  tliis  extract 
I  pass  over  these  interesting  scenes  in  his  life : — 

"  The  duke  came  again  to  me  and  said,  '  Dr. 
Clarke,  do  you  know  the  Archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury?' 'No,  sir.'  'Come  with  me,  and  I  will 
introduce  you  to  him.'  He  took  me  by  the  arm, 
and  led  me  through  the  crowd — we  came  to  the 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  259 

archbishop.  The  duke  said,  'Here,  my  lord,  I 
have  the  pleasure  of  introducing  to  your  grace,  my 
friend  Dr.  Adam  Clarke.'  I  bo-«-ed,  so  did  his 
grace,  and  immediately  held  out  his  hand  :  he  said, 
'  Dr.  Clarke,  I  am  glad  to  see  you ;  I  know  you 
well  by  character,  and  have  often  received  instruc- 
tion from  your  writings.'  That  over,  the  duke 
took  me  through  the  crowd,  and  introduced  me  to 
the  Bishop  of  Chichester,  who  talked  with  me  for 
a  quarter  of  an  hour,  till  up  came  the  Bishop  of 
London,  who  shook  my  hand,  and  inquired  after 
my  health.  Soon  after  the  duke  took  hold  of  my 
arm,  and  begged  to  introduce  me  to  some  of  the 
foreign  ministers,  lords,  chief  fimctionaries,  learned 
foreigners,  <fec.  After  a  great  many  fo's  and  fro's, 
the  duke,  addressing  me  with  great  affection,  said, 
(scores  being  all  aroimd  us,)  '  Dr.  Clarke,  I  am 
very  glad  to  see  you.'  His  royal  highness  told  me 
that  Ham  mohun  Row  would  be  here  this  night, 
and  he  woidd  introduce  me  to  him.  I  bowed  :  and 
then  it  was  about  twenty  minutes  after  ten,  and  I 
was  determined  not  to  stay  late ;  I  therefore  sUp- 
ped  off,  and  met  Ram  mohun  Roto  as  I  came 
down  the  steps ;  but  I  passed  on  to  look  for  my 
gig.  When  I  came  into  the  ante-room  for  my  hat, 
one  of  the  gentlemen  in  waiting  came  from  up 
stairs, — '  Sir,  the  duke  has  been  calling  for  you.'  I 
said,  '  I  am  just  setting  off.'  He  said,  '  The  duke 
has  been  calling  tunce  for  you.'  I  ran  up  stairs,  my 
hat  in  my  hand,  and  my  colored  handkerchief  about 
my  neck,  and  entered  the  large  saloon ;  the  duke 


260        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHEKS. 

spied  me  in  a  moment — caught  me  by  the  hand, 
led  me  to  Ram  mohiin  Bow,  and  introduced  me. 
As  soon  as  this  was  over,  I  shpped  out,  and  away 
went  your  father  from  a  place  where  he  had  re- 
ceived the  highest  honor." 

The  great  work  by  which  Dr.  Clarke  will  be 
known  to  the  latest  time — his  Commentarj'  on  the 
Holy  Scriptures — was  commenced  while  he  was  in 
the  Liverpool  circuit,  in  1 795.  It  was  finished  in 
1826,  on  the  anniversary  of  his  wedding-day. 
After  more  than  thirty  years'  toil  and  anxiety  it 
may  Avell  be  imagined  that  he  rejoiced  with  ex- 
ceeding joy  at  the  completion  of  his  task.  His 
manner  of  expressing  that  joy  was  highly  charac- 
teristic of  our  subject,  who  never  lost  an  oppor- 
tunity of  making  his  wife  and  children  participa- 
tors of  his  happiness.  There  were  other  circum- 
stances connected  wath  this  event  which  reveal  the 
noble  feelings  of  the  patriarch  sire  and  his  affection- 
ate and  happy  family.  On  the  afternoon  on  which 
the  Commentaiy  was  finished.  Dr.  Clarke  entered 
the  parlor,  and  without  speaking  to  any  other 
member  of  the  family,  beckoned  his  youngest  son, 
Joseph,  into  the  hall,  and  desired  him  to  accom- 
pany him  to  his  study.  Without  any  suspicion  of 
what  revelation  was  about  to  be  made,  the  son  fol- 
lowed, and  great  indeed  was  his  astonishment  when 
his  father  pointed  to  his  large  study  table,  and  the 
stand,  cleai'ed  of  their  folios,  &c.,  and  nothing  re- 
maining on  cither  but  his  study  Bible.  "  This, 
Joseph,"  said  he,  "is  the  happiest  period  I  have 


SKETCHES  OF  WEbLEVAX  PREACHERS.  261 

enjoyed  for  many  years ;  I  have  put  the  last  hand 
to  my  Comment ;  I  have  written  the  last  word  of 
the  work  ;  I  have  put  away  the  chains  that  would 
remind  me  of  my  bondage,  and  there  (pointing  to 
the  stops  of  his  hbrary  ladder)  have  I  returned 
the  deep  thanks  of  a  grateful  soul  to  the  God  who 
lias  shown  me  such  great  and  continued  kindness ; 
1  shall  now  go  into  the  parlor,  tell  my  good  news 
to  the  rest,  and  enjoy  myself  for  the  rest  of  the 
day."*  Soon  afterward,  his  sons,  daughters,  and 
sons-in-law,  resolved  to  present  him  with  a  silver 
vase  as  a  memorial  of  the  completion  of  a  work 
which  they  had  seen  him  so  long,  laboriously,  and 
anxiously  prosecuting  ;  but  the  design  was  kept 
secret  from  their  father.  When  it  was  to  be  pre- 
sented, the  two  eldest  sons  invited  their  parents 
and  the  whole  family  to  dine  with  them,  and  after 
dinner  the  proposed  offering,  covered  from  the  sight, 
was  introduced,  and  placed  at  the  head  of  the  table. 
Dr.  Clarke's  eldest  son  then  rose,  and  in  the  name 
of  each  and  all  of  the  family  uncovered  and  ofl'ered 
it,  with  a  suitable  address,  to  their  honored  and 
revered  father.  "For  a  few  moments,"  says  the 
biographer,  "  he  sat  incapable  of  utterance  ;  then 
regarding  them  all,  he  rose,  spread  his  hands  over 
this  token  of  his  children's  love,  and  pronounced 
his  blessing  upon  them  individually  and  collectively. 
His  eldest  son  then  filled  the  vessel  with  vdne, 
wliich  his  father  raised  first  to  his  own  lips,  then 
to  those  of  his  beloved  wife,  and  afterward  bore  it 

*  Life  of  Dr.  Clarke,  page  600. 


262        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS. 


to  eacli  of  the  family  ;  he  then  put  it  down,  and  m 
a  strain  of  the  most  heartfelt,  eloquent  tenderness, 
addressed  his  children  in  the  name  of  then-  revered 
mother  and  himself  in  terms  which  they  will  never 
forget."  Those  only  who  knew  Dr.  Clarke  can 
conceive  how  his  heart  would  overflow  on  such  an 
occasion. 

I  should  give  but  an  imperfect  sketch  of  this 
great  man  were  I  to  omit  a  reference  to  his  con- 
versational powers,  which  were  of  a  high  order. 
He  never  talked,  any  more  than  he  preached,  for 
display.  His  topics  were  diversified,  and  he  was 
exceedingly  happy  at  adapting  his  converse  to  the 
company  he  was  in.  For  the  young,  as  has  been 
before  intimated,  he  had  always  a  rich  fund  of  an- 
ecdote and  wise  counsel,  illustrated  by  incidents  in 
his  own  varied  life ;  for  the  poor,  encouragement ; 
for  the  wealthy,  incentives  to  benevolence ;  and  for 
all  Christians,  sayings  seasoned  with  personal  ex- 
perience, and  a  deep  insight  into  the  things  of  God. 
Among  his  literary  acquaintances  he  was  always  at 
ease,  as  able  to  teach  as  to  learn,  but  as  willing  to 
learn  as  to  teach ;  while  in  his  family,  when  the 
hours  of  study  were  over  and  his  engagements  per- 
mitted his  spending  the  evening  at  home,  one  mem- 
ber would  read  while  he  explained  and  commented 
for  their  mstruction.  He  knew  no  idle  hours,  and 
was  engaged  in  all  places  doing  his  Master's  work, 
in  the  instruction  and  improvement  of  others  ;  and 
yet  so  social  were  his  habits,  so  kind  and  pleasing 
his  manners,  that  none  wearied  of  his  counsels,  and 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  263 


only  knew  that  they  had  been  listening  to  a  teacher 
by  the  good  results  which,  on  reflection,  they  were 
conscious  had  attended  his  counsels. 

At  the  Conference  of  1831,  Dr.  Clarke,  contrary 
to  his  own  expressed  wish,  was  placed  upon  the 
list  of  supernumeraries;  and  he  appears  to  have 
felt  this  keenly.  Why  this  was  done  was  never 
well  understood  by  those  out  of  the  Conference. 
Whether  in  the  fact  that  the  doctor  having  shown 
a  preference  for  a  fixed  and  private  residence,  in- 
stead of  occupying  the  house  which  the  circuit  pro- 
vided for  the  preaclier,  the  Conference  saw  an  en- 
croachment upon  the  itinerant  system  over  which 
they  are  wisely  jealous,  and  thought  it  best  to  close 
any  avenue  in  that  dii-ection,  I  am  not  well  informed. 
It  is  probable  that  some  such  feeling  was  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  action  of  the  Conference.  I  believe  no 
other  Wesleyan  Methodist  traveUng  preacher  than 
Dr.  Clarke  ever,  during  Ms  itinerancy,  possessed  a 
farm  or  held  real  estate.  They  are  not  allowed 
such  a  privilege,  and  perhaps  the  exception,  per- 
mitted in  his  case  for  a  few  years,  was  working 
dissatisfaction  among  those  Avho,  having  the  means 
to  purchase,  were  still  required  to  sing  with  hteral 

truth  foQj  of  land  do  I  possess, 

No  cottage  in  the  wilderness." 

It  is  certain  that  the  doctor  was  by  no  means  su- 
perannuated, as  his  abundant  and  acceptable  labors 
in  almost  every  part  of  the  United  Kingdom  and  in 
the  Shetland  Isles,  subsequent  to  his  retirement 
from  the  regular  itinerancy,  abundantly  testified. 


264        SKETCHES  OF  WESLE^AN  PREACHER8. 

A  career  of  usefulness  and  honor  was  Dr.  Clarke's, 
nearly  half  a  century  of  which  was  spent  in  preach- 
ing the  gospel.  Many  marveled  how  he  could 
■RTite  so  much — for  his  publications,  in  addition  to 
his  Commentary  and  his  ten  years'  labor  for  the 
British  government,  were  numerous  and  of  a  kind 
requuing  much  labor  and  research.  The  whole 
secret  lay  in  his  regular  and  prompt  habits.  He 
was  an  early  riser,  very  systematic,  never  leaving 
until  to-morrow  what  he  could  do  to-day,  and  was 
never  unemployed.  His  labors  are  endence  of  his 
unwearied  industry,  for  it  should  be  remembered 
that  all  his  learning  was  obtained  after  he  entered 
upon  the  ministry ;  and  the  itinerant  ministry 
among  the  Wesleyans  in  his  earlier  days  was  no 
slight  burden,  and  afforded  but  few  advantages  to 
the  student.  He  was  a  self-made  scholar,  in  spite 
of  almost  insurmountable  disadvantages,  and  tri- 
umphed over  obstacles  which  would  have  appalled 
any  but  a  man  of  giant  energies  and  inflexible  pur- 
pose. The  purity  of  his  life  was  unimpeached, 
even  by  rumor,  and  he  went  down  to  the  grave  as 
a  i-ipe  shock  ready  for  the  gamer.  His  memory  is 
blessed,  for  it  is  the  memory  of  the  just  and  good, 
and  with  his  name  will  ever  be  associated  the  re- 
spect of  all.  No  marble  tablet  or  labored  epitaph 
is  required  to  preserve  the  remembrance  of  his 
virtues  or  the  fame  of  his  talents.  They  were 
known  and  read  of  all  men,  and  are  his  everlastmg 
memorial. 


eKETCHES  OF  WESLEVAX  PREACHERS. 


266 


|JljUip  ^arbcaatle. 

"  He  is  fittest  to  preach  that  is  himself  most  liiie  his  message,  and 
comes  forth  not  only  with  a  handful  of  this  seed  in  liis  hand,  but 
with  store  of  it  in  his  heart,  the  word  '  dwelling  richly  in  him."  "— 
Leighton. 

The  Rev.  Philip  Hardcastle,  father  of  the  Wes- 
leyan  minister  who  at  present  worthily  bears  the 
same  name,  was  a  fine  athletic  man,  above  the 
middle  height,  a  fine  specimen  of  the  English  yeo- 
man of  the  olden  time,  with  a  coimtenance  full  of 
intelligence,  though  somewhat  qviizzical.  Of  genu- 
ine wit,  generally  playful  only,  though  occasionally 
sarcastic,  he  possessed  an  exuberance.  Strong 
good  sense  marked  all  his  conduct ;  benevolence 
and  Christian  kindness  Avere  the  rules  of  his  daily 
life  and  conversation,  and  the  fniit  of  his  fervent 
piety.  By  his  brethren  in  the  gospel  he  was  uni- 
versally beloved  and  respected.  As  a  preacher,  his 
ministry  was  eminently  profitable  and  instmctive, 
founded  upon  an  accurate  knowledge  of  human 
nature,  and  a  personal,  experimental  acquaintance 
with  the  remedies  for  its  perversities  and  evils. 
Although  he  lacked  the  advantages  of  an  early 
education,  he  was  endowed  with  strong  intellectual 
powers ;  a  deep  insight  into  the  word  of  God  and 
the  economy  of  divine  grace ;  was  forcible  and  point- 
ed in  his  dehneations  and  appeals  ;  and  thoroughly 
practical  in  all  his  -v-iews.  A  divine  unction  at- 
tended his  ministrations  of  the  word  of  life.    In  a 


266        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEVAX  PREACHERS. 

remarkable  degree  all  men  gave  him  their  con- 
fidence. Even  the  ungodly  respected  him  for  his 
open  and  manly  bearing,  his  independence  and 
candor,  and  his  indifference  aUke  to  smiles  or 
frowns ;  the  former  could  not  seduce  him,  nor 
could  the  latter  intimidate  him.  Moreover,  in  his 
natural  disposition,  apart  from  the  mfluence  of  di- 
vine grace,  there  was  a  generous  humanity — a 
fellowship  with  his  kind — that  won  the  esteem  and 
affection  of  all  who  knew  him.  In  dress  he  dif- 
fered somewhat  from  his  brethren,  wearing  usually 
a  drab  hat,  and  single-breasted  black  stuff  surtout, 
of  considerable  length  in  the  skirts,  drab  or  gray 
breeches,  with  gray  hose  and  buckled  shoes,  alter- 
nated with  top-boots  when  traveling.  At  one  of 
the  Conferences  the  old  gentleman  was  accosted 
by  one  of  the  younger  preachers,  who  was  scrupu- 
lously clerical  in  his  attire,  with,  "  Why,  father 
Hardcastle,  you  look  like  a  magpie  among  us." 
"  Very  possibly,  ray  son,"  he  replied  ;  "  but  a  mag- 
pie is  a  prettier  bird  than  a  crow."  The  laugh 
was  turned  with  interest  upon  the  first  speaker. 
Mr.  Everett  visited  him  upon  his  death-bed,  when 
the  dying  saint's  greeting  was  truly  characteristic  : 
"  Well,  Everett,  I  am  glad  to  see  you ;  we  have 
often  met  and  parted :  you  must  pray  with  me ; 
it  seems  to  me  as  if  you  had  just  dropped  in  for 
the  last  time,  to  wind  up  the  watch  before  the 
weary  wheels  of  life  for  ever  stand  still." 

The  disease  which  ended  his  life  was  angina 
pectoris,  if,  indeed,  death  in  his  case  could  be  at- 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  267 

tributed  to  any  one  disease  simply,  seeing  that  he 
was  upward  of  eighty  years  of  age.  His  naturally 
robust  constitution,  however,  would  justify  the 
expectation  that  he  would  live  to  the  full  limit  of 
human  existence.  For  the  last  eight  years  of  his 
sojourn  on  earth  he  suffered  much,  and  toward  the 
close  of  life  his  strong  intellect  wavered  beneath 
the  long-continued  attack  of  disease.  But  when 
reason  at  intervals  resumed  her  sway,  his  face 
beamed  with  holy  and  patient  joy,  and  words  of 
confidence  and  triumph  cheered  and  consoled  those 
who  devotedly  waited  upon  him,  through  his  linger- 
ing exit  from  this  hfe  to  a  better. 


268       SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


jn.  JUartinirak — |9outl)ful  l^zmmmmus. 

"  Days  of  my  childliood,  hail ! 
AVhose  gentle  spirits  wand'ring  nere, 
Down  in  the  visionary  vale, 
Before  mine  eyes  appear, 
Benignly  pensive,  beautifully  pale, 
O  days  for  ever  fled,  for  ever  dear. 
Days  of  my  childhood,  hail !" 

Montgomery. 

Thus  sung  one  of  England's  finest,  noblest  bards, — 
James  Montgomery ;  the  Montgomery*  who,  in  the 
flower  of  his  days,  nobly  suffered  imprisonment 
and  the  blight  of  his  earthly  prospects,  rather  than 
be  silent  in  the  cause  of  freedom  and  independence  ; 
the  Montgomery,  whose  genius  is  only  equaled  by 
his  exalted  virtues  and  unaffected  piety  ;  the  Mont- 
gomery, Avho  for  many  successive  years  has  occu- 
pied his  accustomed  seat  in  the  gallery  of  the 
Carver-street  Methodist  Chapel,  in  Sheffield,  hsten- 
ing  with  devout  and  gratified  attention  to  the  lay 
preachers  who  occupy  that  pulpit  on  the  sabbath 
afternoon ;  the  Montgomery,  whose  silvery  and 
fervid  eloquence  I  first  listened  to  on  the  missionary 
platform  in  that  same  house  of  God,  and  well  re- 
member the  tones  of  that  voice  which  drew  me,  as 
the  loadstone  the  needle,  from  the  remotest  part 
of  the  chapel  to  the  very  edge  of  the  platform, 
where,  oblivious  of  everything  but  the  voice  of  the 
charmer,  I  hung  upon  his  hps  with  rapturous  de- 
light ;  the  Montgomery,  whose  generous  praise  has 

*  As  distinguished  from  Robert  Montgomery. 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  269 

cheered  many  a  young  aspirant  for  fame,  and  whose 
spontaneous  commendation  of  some  early  poems 
first  made  me  personally  acquainted  with  that 
benevolence  and  kindness  of  heart  which,  among 
the  poet's  townsmen,  is  the  theme  of  universal 
praise  ;  tlie  Montgomery,  who,  "  when  the  ear  heard 
him,  then  it  blessed  him;"  who  "sits  as  a  king" 
among  his  fellows,  "as  one  that  comforteth  the 
mourners ;"  who,  "  when  the  young  men  see  him 
they  hide  themselves,  and  the  aged  arise  and  stand 
up  ;"  for  his  long  career  of  benevolence  and  virtue 
has  won  for  him  the  love  and  reverence  of  all. 
Perhaps  no  hterary  man  ever  before  so  completely 
secured  the  affections  of  the  Avise  and  good,  and 
the  respect  of  all,  as  James  Montgomery;  and 
knowing  partially  the  sufficient  reasons  why  he  was 
thus  beloved,  I  wondered  not  at  the  testimony 
borne  a  few  years  since  to  his  amiability  and  good- 
ness as  related  in  the  public  papers.  During  his 
absence  at  divine  worship  on  the  Sunday  evening — 
he  is  of  the  Moravian  denomination — his  house  on 
"  The  Mount "  was  entered,  and  robbed  of,  among 
other  things,  a  massive  silver  mkstand,  presented 
to  him  by  his  fellow-townsmen,  and  bearing 'an 
appropriate  inscription.  After  a  few  days,  this, 
with  I  believe  the  other  stolen  articles  also,  was 
returned  to  him,  with  a  note  setting  forth  that  had 
the  thief  known  whose  house  he  had  entered,  it 
sliould  have  been  sacred  from  pillage  ;  for  that, 
degraded  as  he  had  unhappily  become,  he  could 
not  injure  a  man  whom  all  so  justly  loved  for  hig 


2Y0        SKETCHES  OF  M'ESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

goodness,  and  whose  hallowed  verse  he  had  daily- 
heard  in  infancy  and  boyhood  from  the  hps  of  a 
pious  mother. 

How  strangely,  how  rapidly,  are  associations 
awakened  !  The  name  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
brought  back  a  tide  of  memories  which  recalled 
Montgomery's  beautiful  apostrophe,  and  that  again 
revived  feelings  which  would  have  utterance,  and 
aroused  recollections  of  which  memory  demanded 
to  be  disburdened  before  she  would  aid  in  recalling 
those  earlier  scenes  which,  in  the  writer's  mind, 
are  inseparably  connected  with  the  name  of  the 
Rev.  Miles  Martindale,  imder  the  same  roof  with 
whom,  in  "  days  for  ever  fled,  for  ever  dear,"  I 
dwelt  for  nearly  six  continuous  years,  hstening  daily 
to  his  counsel,  and  submitting  to  his  salutary  dis- 
ciphne.  But  those  were  boyhood's  days,  when 
judgment  was  immature,  the  mind  incapable,  per- 
haps, of  just  reflection  and  discrimination,  and  the 
memory  lacked  that  capacity  of  retention  essential 
to  faithful  delineation.  Possibly  I  may  confound 
events  unconsciously,  or  may  have  lost  my  hold  of 
those  which  would  most  have  interested  the  reader, 
and"  at  this  late  day  (never  mind  how  late)  I  may 
have  to  rely  upon  personal  interest  and  association 
in  the  execution  of  my  task,  so  that  the  reader 
must  be  indulgent  if  this  sketch  seems  open  to  an 
objection  said  to  have  been  made  against  the  pub- 
lication of  the  sermons  of  the  Rev.  ****  ******* — 
a  true  Christian  gentleman,  and  an  interesting  and 
profitable,  even  an  elegant  preacher,  nevertheless — 


SKETCHES  OFWESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  271 


namely,  that  no  printer  could  be  found  whose  fonts 
would  furnish  a  sufficient  number  of  capital  I's ; 
and,  further,  I  may  find  it  convenient  to  interweave 
with  this  sketch  incidental  notices  of  other  persons 
as  Avell  as  of  circumstances,  connected  with  the 
Wesleyan  Academy  at  Woodhouse  Grove,  of  which 
Mr.  Martindale,  for  eight  years,  and  at  the  time  of 
his  death,  was  house-governor. 

A  portrait  of  our  subject  appeared  in  the  August 
number  of  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  Magazine  for 
1820,  which  is  a  fair  Ukeness,  though  taken  at  an 
earUer  age  than  that  at  which  I  knew  him.  He 
always  wore  his  hair  parted  evenly  down  the  centre 
of  the  head,  from  the  crown  to  the  forehead,  said 
hair  being  remarkably  smooth  and  glossy,  rather 
long,  and  in  the  later  years  of  its  wearer's  life 
though  not  exactly  silvery,  yet  considerably  hghter 
than  iron  gray.  His  height  was  about  five  feet 
seven  ;*  he  had  considerable  rotundity,  though  he 

*  Perhaps  there  is  nothing  merely  external  on  which  the  judg- 
ment of  a  boy  is  so  much  at  fault  as  the  comparative  height  of  the 
larger  boys  and  adults  with  whom  he  associates.  Every  man  look- 
ing back  to  his  youth,  is  apt  to  think  that  "  there  were  giants  in 
those  days  ;"  or,  revisiting,  after  an  absence  of  twenty  years,  the 
school  of  his  boyhood,  thinks  the  pupils  dwarfish  as  compared  with 
those  of  liis  own  day.  The  impression  is,  however,  erroneous,  as 
a  record  of  the  average  stature  of  the  two  periods  would  show. 
From  the  same  universal  impression,  probably,  aiises  the  belief, 
equally  erroneous,  that  our  forefathers  were  much  taller  and  more 
muscular,  generally,  than  ourselves.  The  writer,  a  few  years  ago, 
had  an  opportunity  of  inspecting  the  skeleton  of  an  ancient  Briton, 
dug  from  a  tumulus  in  tlie  north  of  England,  which,  from  certain 
memorials  inclosed  in  the  coffin,  (said  coffin  being  the  trunk  of  a 
large  oak-tree  cut  m  two  longitudinally,  the  lesser  section  forming 
the  lid,  and  the  other,  rudely  hollowed  out,  servmg  for  the  reception 
of  the  body.)  was  demonstrated  to  be  upward  of  two  thousand  years 


272       SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

was  by  no  means  inactive  or  incapable  of  rapid  and 
vigorous  motion,  as  the  pupils  of  the  institution 
sometimes  experimentally  learned.  The  eyes  were 
small,  qiiick  in  their  motion,  and  in  moments  of 
excitement  there  was  a  certain  redness  about  them 
which  it  was  not  difficult  to  understand.  His  de- 
meanor always  commanded  respect :  as  a  governor 
he  was  considerate  and  kind,  and  was  only  severe 
when  provoked  to  it  by  contumacy,  when  he  made 
his  authority  felt,  as  was  due  to  the  office  he  sus- 
tained. With  his  kindness,  and  often  pleasant 
familiarity,  was  mingled,  however,  no  weak  or  fool- 
ish indulgence.  He  was  conscientiously  careful 
of  the  moral  as  well  as  the  physical  well-being  of 
the  pupils,  and  was  faithful  to  every  interest  of  the 
establishment ;  was  an  early  riser  and  a  hard  stu- 
dent, rising,  to  the  very  close  of  his  life,  at  four 
o'clock  in  summer,  and  at  five  in  winter ;  and  the 
knowledge  of  this  habit  preserved  regularity  through 
every  branch  of  the  institution.  The  pupils,  then 
about  eighty  in  number,  now  one  hundred,  arose 
an  hour  later,  at  five  in  summer  and  at  six  in  win- 
ter, and  after  an  hour's  recreation  entered  upon 
their  studies,  before  which  time  Mr.  Martindale  was 
sure  to  pass  through  the  play-ground,  on  his  way 
to  overlook  the  farm,  and,  casting  his  quick  eye 
over  the  boys,  would,  when  it  was  light,  detect  a 
torn  coat  or  an  overt  act  of  bojash  wickedness 

old.  The  skeleton  was  black  from  the  action  of  the  tannin  in  the 
oak,  but  was  in  admirable  presen'ation,  even  much  of  the  hair  re- 
maining on  tlie  skull.  The  height,  however,  was  barely  five  feet 
ten  inches,  though  the  chest  was  full  and  well  arched. 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  273 

with  more  precision  than  was  agreeable.  His  dress 
was  always  well  suited  to  his  station,  and  under- 
went little  change  during  the  six  years  over  which 
my  knowledge  extends.  Though  not  strictly  cleri- 
cal, as  custom  ruled,  it  was  quite  as  much  so  as 
his  many  secular  duties  would  allow,  and  only  va- 
ried from  that  of  his  brethren  in  that  he  wore  gray 
or  drab  breeches,  and,  when  traveling  to  the  neigh- 
boring market  of  Leeds  or  Bradford,  whence  came 
oiu-  principal  supplies,  he  ensconced  his  substantial 
hmbs  in  top-boots.  How  vivid  is  the  picture  which 
memory  recalls  of  the  fine  old  man,  moimted  on 
quiet  "  Pegg3%"  the  mare  of  all  work,  jogging  along 
the  graveled  road  through  the  grove,  at  a  "  Me- 
thodist preacher's  trot."  Altogether  a  sterling 
man,  rigidly  honest  and  upright,  and  a  sincere 
Christian,  was  the  Rev.  Miles  Martindale. 

I  feel  scarcely  qualified  to  speak  of  Mr.  M.  as  a 
preacher,  as  I  was  then,  of  course,  too  young  to 
form  a  reliable  judgment.  Nor  did  he  preach  very 
frequently  at  the  chapel  of  the  institution.  His 
daih-  cares  Avere  toil  enough  for  a  man  of  his  years, 
and  there  were  the  regular  preachers  stationed  upon 
the  circuit,  with  their  local  allies,  whose  duty  it 
was  to  supply  the  pulpits.  The  Rev.  William  O. 
Booth,  now  a  popular  itinerant,  Avas  then  a  local 
preacher  there.  The  Rev.  John  FaiTar,  the  mathe- 
matical and  French  tutor,  now  classical  tutor  in 
the  Richmond  Theological  Institution,  took  a  travel- 
ing preacher's  share  of  the  work :  and  the  Rev. 
James  Brownell,  now  laboring  acceptably  in  the 
18 


2*74        SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS. 

itinerant  ranks,  was  a  tutor  and  a  local  preacher ; 
BO  that  Ave  were  not  often  favored  with  Mr.  Martin- 
dale's  ministration.  So  far  as  I  am  competent  to 
speak  of  him,  he  was  a  soimd,  instructive,  but  per- 
haps for  young  persons  not  a  captivating  preacher  ; 
fond  of  lingering  around  the  facts  and  types  of  the 
Old  Testament  as  adumbrations  of  the  greater 
glories  of  the  New,  and  of  exhibiting  the  relation 
and  harmony  of  the  former  and  latter  dispensa- 
tions. There  was  a  peculiarity  in  his  style  of 
preaching  like  that  which  distinguishes  the  Epistle 
to  the  Hebrews :  he  loved  to  build  upon  Moses 
and  the  prophets ;  upon  the  wonderful  God-ordained 
sacrifices  and  observances  of  that  time ;  and  to  show 
that  in  those  mysteries  were  foreshadowed,  and  by 
those  types  the  world  was  prepared  for,  the  mys- 
tery of  "  God  manifest  in  the  flesh,"  and  the  glory 
that  should  follow.  Hence  his  illustratioas  were 
frequently  drawn  from  the  Old  Testament,  and  I 
well  remember  the  frequent  use  which,  in  this  re- 
lation, he  made  of  the  "  cities  of  refuge."  The 
older  and  more  thoughtful  of  the  pupils,  and  the 
congregation  from  the  neighboring  hamlets,  were 
always  glad  to  see  him  ascend  the  pulpit,  from 
which  it  may  be  inferred  that  if  he  was  not  readily 
comprehended  by  the  younger  boys,  his  matter 
was  both  interesting  and  instructive  to  the  more 
advanced  and  reflective.  If  my  memory-  serve  me 
right,  his  discourses  were  generally  brief;  and 
brevity,  by  the  way,  was  a  point  on  Avhich  the 
youths  strongly  insisted  as  essential  to  popularity. 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  275 


Inside  the  pulpit,  under  the  desk,  and  exactly 
opposite  to  the  preacher's  seat,  some  mischievous 
lads  had  carved  in  large  letters,  made  more  at- 
tractive by  being  stained  with  ink,  the  signiticant 
and  appropriately  brief  admonition — be  short  and 
LIVELY.  Many  a  time  have  I  seen  the  preacher, 
itinerant  or  local,  rise  to  commence  the  serv-ice  with 
a  quiet  smile  upon  his  face,  and  heard  him  give 
proof  that  he  had  read  and  heeded  tlie  impressive 
motto.  As  is  too  often  the  case,  howevei-,  with 
reproofs  expressed  in  too  general  tenns,  they  for 
whom  the  counsel  was  chiefly  intended  often  alto- 
gether disregarded  it. 

Mr.  Martindale  was  not  unknown  as  a  contribu- 
tor to  sacred  literature.  His  Biblical  Dictionary, 
a  work  which  met  with  a  very  cordial  reception, 
and  gave  evidence  of  great  application  and  ability, 
has  been  republished  in  this  countiy.  He  trans- 
lated some  of  the  tracts  of  Arminius,  one  of  which, 
on  the  priesthood  of  Christ,  is  peculiarly  neiTous 
in  style.  He  also  published  a  very  chaste  trans- 
lation of  Mr.  Fletcher's  poem  on  Grace  and  Natiu-e. 
He  was  himself  a  poet  of  no  mean  order,  as  numer- 
ous fugitive  pieces  published  in  the  magazines 
prove.  A  pure  classic  taste  pervaded  all  of  them. 
I  am  not  aware  that  he  ever  published  these  in  a 
collected  fomi,  or  any  larger  poem  ;  but  some  three 
or  four  years  before  his  death  he  had  completed 
an  epic  poem,  (m  twelve  books,)  called  "  Tlie 
Deluge,"  which  I  apprehend  he  left  quite  ready 
for  publication,  since  to  my  knowledge  it  had  been 


2l6       SKETCHES  OF  WKSLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


confided  to  the  head  master  of  the  institution,  (a 
man  of  almost  imlimited  learning,  and  of  imiversal, 
though  eccentric  genius,)  for  embellishment  with 
pictorial  designs,  and  possiblj'  for  revision.  While 
the  volume  Avas  in  this  gentleman's  hands  I  read, 
or  heard  read,  many  pages  with  entranced  delight, 
and  can  trace  my  most  vivid  imaginings  of  that 
fearful  destruction  to  the  descriptions  given  in  that 
poem.  1  have  never  heard  that  it  was  published ; 
and  presume  that  the  manuscript  volume,  Avritten, 
as  I  well  remember,  in  a  large,  bold  hand,  with  an 
Indian-ink  design  of  the  deluge  upon  its  title-page, 
remains  in  the  possession  of  the  family  as  a  valued 
memorial  of  one  who  in  all  his  domestic  relations — 
as  husband,  father,  counselor,  and  friend — must  ever 
be  held  in  aflectionate  and  reverent  remembrance. 

Allusion  has  been  made  to  Mr.  Martindale's 
habit  of  early  rising,  and  perhaps  in  a  manner  that 
would  lead  the  reader  to  suppose  that  the  custom 
was  adhered  to  mainly  for  the  purpose  of  indulg- 
ing in  literary  studies  or  composition.  Such  a  sup- 
position would  be  an  injustice  to  the  memory  of  a 
good  man.  I  have  heard  the  domestics  say  that, 
when  they  have  risen  earlier  than  was  their  wont, 
they  have  heard  the  voice  of  earnest  prayer  and 
supplication  as  they  have  silently  passed  his  study 
door.  Indeed,  without  such  intercourse  with  Hea- 
ven he  could  but  feebly  have  maintained  the  vitality 
of  his  religion.  His  gubernatorial  duties  were  nu- 
merous, onerous,  and  oftentimes  harassing.  With 
full  eighty  pupils,  clothed,  and  boarded,  and  lodged. 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  277 

at  the  institution,  some  ten  or  twelve  domestics,  a 
large  house,  and  a  considerable  farm  under  liis 
care — the  whole  establishment  open  every  hour  to 
the  \'isits  of  such  parents  of  the  children  as  might 
be  stationed  near,  or  whom  a  chance  journey  might 
bring  into  the  neighborhood,  and  no  less  so  to  the 
lay  friends  and  patrons  of  the  school — it  may  easily 
be  seen  that  his  duties  and  responsibilities  were 
not  hght,  though  his  excellent  wife  was  no  less 
active  than  himself,  and  his  three  daughters  took 
part  in  the  domestic  management.  The  responsi- 
bility rested  upon  him,  and  he  was  not  the  man  to 
shift  the  care  and  oversight  from  where  the  Con- 
ference had  placed  them.  He  was  the  first  to  rise 
in  the  morning,  yet,  save  when  some  peciUiar 
household  matters  detained  the  domestics  or  his 
family  beyond  the  usual  hour,  he  was  the  last  to 
retire.  The  pupils  were  called  into  the  main  hall 
at  half-past  seven  or  half-past  eight  o'clock  in  the 
evening,  according  to  the  season  ;  and  after  reading 
of  the  Scriptures  and  prayer,  at  which  the  entu'e 
household  were  present,  they  retired  to  then-  doimi- 
tories,  accompanied  by  Mr.  M.,  who  remained  imtil 
all  were  in  bed  and  the  lights  withdrawn.  But 
this  did  not  satisfy  his  parental  care.  At  from  ten 
o'clock  to  half-past  ten,  before  finally  retiring  him- 
self, he  came  through  the  bed-rooms  to  see  that 
each  boy  was  in  his  own  bed,  and  comfortably 
sleeping. 

Tliis  final  visit  was  sometimes  as  necessaiy  as  it 
was  kindly  meant.    Wliere  there  are  eighty  boys 


21S        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEVAX  PREACHERS. 


together,  varying  in  age  from  eight  to  fourteen 
years,  a  strong  disposition  to  frohc  will  sometimes 
show  itself.  In  one  of  the  dormitories  were  forty- 
eight  beds,  in  another  about  twenty,  and  in  a  third 
about  a  dozen,  the  counterpane  and  linen  of  each, 
by  the  way,  always  white  as  the  driven  snow. 
These  all  communicated,  the  largest  being  in  the 
centre.  During  the  night,  as  in  the  play-ground 
during  the  day,  they  were  in  the  charge  of  a  junior 
teacher  and  monitors.  Occasionally  it  proved  no 
easy  matter  to  preserve  order,  especially  on  a  sum- 
mer or  moonlight  evening,  for  a  youth  without  his 
outer  garments  is  not  very  easily  identified  ;  and,  al- 
though silence  was  enjoined,  a  feigned  voice,  or  an 
attempt  at  ventriloquism,  almost  defied  detection, 
especially  when  the  '•  guardians  of  the  night "  had 
been  lulled  to  sleep  by  half  an  hour's  premeditated 
perfect  order  and  silence.  A  wag  would  quietly 
shp  from  between  his  own  sheets,  under  the  bed 
of  a  neighbor  known  to  be  timid  and  strongly  dis- 
posed to  beheve  in  the  supernatural,  and  while  the 
unsuspecting  victim  was  luxuriating  in  the  sound- 
ness of  a  first  sleep,  his  tormentor  would  apply  his 
back  to  the  under  side  of  the  bed,  and  heave  it  up, 
first  gently  and  then  more  violently,  uttering  groans 
of  most  cavernous  depth  the  while.  The  sufl'erer's 
cry  would  arouse  the  teacher,  who,  with  sympathy 
and  ferule  armed,  would  hie  to  punish  the  offender, 
who  in  his  turn  would  flee  to  his  own  quarters  only 
to  find  that,  during  his  absence,  his  ne.xt  of  Idn  (by 
location)  had  made  his  bed  "  Scotch  fashion,"  so  that 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAK  PREACHERS.  279 

with  all  the  power  of  sound  linen  it  refused  him 
shelter,  and  exposed  him  to  detection  and  punish- 
ment. At  other  times,  in  open  rebellion  against 
the  combined  authorit}-  of  tutor  and  monitors,  some 
"tell-tale"  woidd  be  made  to  run  the  gauntlet, 
which  consisted  in  passing  along  the  alleys  between 
the  doxible  rows  of  beds,  each  occupant  administer- 
ing, wlien  the  offender  failed  to  dodge  it,  a  heavy 
blow  with  his  pillow,  the  contents  of  wluch  had 
been  shaken  compactly  into  one  end  of  the  pillow- 
case. These  and  kindred  sports  would  sometimes, 
from  the  e.xciteraent  with  which  they  were  carried 
on,  be  unthinkingly  prolonged  until  the  time  of  the 
governor's  "  good-night "  visit,  and  that  function- 
ary Avould  be  upon  us  before  we  were  aware  of  his 
presence.  Then  was  the  merry  laiigh  suddenly 
exchanged  for  the  cry  of  pain,  or  for  the  deep  in- 
spiration of  (pretended)  sound  sleep,  with  a  slight 
touch  of  nasal  music  to  make  the  deception  more 
complete.  Sometimes  the  good  man,  having  by 
the  hearing  of  the  ear  received  intimation  of  what 
was  going  on,  would  quietly  enter  the  rooms  with 
a  dark  lanteni,  and  not  throwing  up  the  shade 
until  he  had  traced  the  sound  to  its  souixe,  would 
pounce  upon  one  of  the  talkers  in  the  middle  of  an 
articulation.  Yet  I  hietv  a  youth  who,  more  than 
once,  under  such  circumstances,  was  so  sound 
asleep  the  moment  the  governor's  pi-esence  became 
known,  that  the  glare  of  a  strong  reflecting  lamp 
could  not  wake  him,  though  held  to  his  eyes  for 
some  moments,  and  at  most  only  made  him  slightly 


280        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHEBS. 

restless,  as  might  be  supposed  would  be  the  effect 
of  sucli  an  application ;  and  when  Mr.  Martindale, 
after  satisfying  himself  that  said  youth  was  really 
asleep,  has,  with  some  kind  expression,  consider- 
ately arranged  and  "  tucked  in  "  the  bed's  covering, 
which,  in  the  youth's  hurry  to  slumber,  he  had  not 
time  to  gather  round  him,  the  sleeper  has  so  petu- 
lantly murmured  his  indignation  at  the  interruption 
of  his  pleasant  dreams,  that  the  governor  has  re- 
tired, perplexed  beyond  measure,  faintly  hoping 
that  the  next  time  at  least  he  would  detect  the  of- 
fender. Truth  compels  me  to  say,  that,  in  that  in- 
dividual instance,  he  never  met  with  better  success  ; 
for,  however  loudly  the  youth  might  have  been 
speaking  a  moment  before,  Mr.  Martindale's  ap- 
pearance had  such  a  Mesmeric  influence  upon  him 
that  he  was  suddenly  in  so  profound  a  sleep,  toss- 
ed about  so  feverishly,  and  moaned  so  piteously 
when  the  strong  light  was  allowed  to  rest  too  long 
upon  his  closed  eyelids,  and  answered  so  incohe- 
rently when  pertinaciously  pressed  with  questions, 
that  the  governor's  kindness  of  heart  would  not 
allow  him  to  suspect  the  sham. 

Mr.  Martindale  required  the  senior  boys  in  rota- 
tion to  read  the  Scriptures  aloud  at  morning  and 
evening  prayer,  and  devoted  Wednesday  and  Sun- 
day evenings  to  the  moral  and  religious  instruction 
of  the  boys.  This  public  reading  was  at  first 
rather  a  task  to  a  timid  youth,  who  saw  before 
him  the  governor  and  family,  the  resident  tutors, 
and  some  eighty  fellow  pupils — some  of  whom,  at 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  281 

least,  were  ready  to  pounce  upon  the  smallest  en-or, 
and  ring  it  in  his  ears  ever  after ;  and  in  the  trepi- 
dation of  a  first  attempt  some  amusing  blunders 
were  made.  Thus  one  read,  "  Wo  unto  you,  scribes 
and  Pharisees,  for  ye  devour  widows'  houses,  and 
for  a  prentice  (pretence)  make  long  prayers ;"  an- 
other, "And  the  man  said  he  was  speechless  while 
a  third  made  a  most  ludicrous  blimder  out  of  the 
following  passage,  by  adding  an  apostrophic  s  to 
the  word  grandmother,  and  inserting  a  consonant 
in  the  next  word  :  "  When  I  call  to  remembrance 
the  faith  that  is  in  thee,  which  dwelt  tirst  in  thy 
grandmother  Lois."  Of  course  such  mistakes  were 
sometimes  imavoidable,  and  have  been  made  by 
older  and  more  experienced  persons  even  from  the 
pulpit ;  while  the  habit  of  reading  aloud  was  of  in- 
calculable advantage  to  the  practitioners. 

Reference  has  been  made  to  Mr.  Martindale's 
custom  of  devoting  Wednesday  and  Sunday  even- 
ings to  the  moral  and  religious  instruction  of  the 
pupils.  It  was  on  these  occasions  that  he  woidd 
most  unbend,  and  was  as  a  father  in  our  midst. 
He  had  a  good  fund  of  anecdote,  of  which  he  made 
judicious  use  in  illustratmg  the  sentiments  he  wish- 
ed to  inculcate.  He  would  encourage  us  to  ask 
questions,  and  by  not  enforcing  too  strictly  the  nile 
that  only  one  boy  should  speak  at  once,  excited  a 
just  rivalry  in  responding  to  his  interrogatories. 
On  Sunday  evenings  we  Avere  required  to  give  the 
substance  of  the  two  sermons  heard  during  the  day, 
and  as  we  were  favored  with  a  rather  odd  assort- 


282       SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS. 


ment  of  lay  preachers,  and  were  very  apt  to  re- 
member just  such  portions  of  a  discourse  as  •with 
riper  years  and  more  grace  we  should  have  forgot- 
ten or  overlooked,  some  amusing  revelations  were 
sometimes  made.  Mr.  Martindale  always,  and 
wisely,  sought  to  make  his  catechetical  examina- 
tions agreeable  as  well  as  profitable,  and  did  not 
confine  us  entirely  to  grave  and  sombre  observa- 
tions. Few  men  possessed  greater  tact  in  keeping  up 
attention,  and  exciting  mental  eff"ort,  on  the  part  of 
the  )roung,  while  he  preserved  his  own  dignity,  and 
effected  his  great  object  of  impro-\'ing  the  heart. 
Well  knowing  the  impossibiUty  of  putting  old  heads 
upon  young  shoulders,  he  would  sometimes  aff'ect 
not  to  hear  our  boyish  salhes,  when  they  did  not 
indicate  moral  obliquity  ;  and  permitted  us  to  point 
out,  within  proper  limits,  the  defects  as  well  as  the 
excellences  of  a  sermon — to  criticise  the  manner 
of  the  preacher  as  well  as  his  matter.  Hence  our 
Svmday  evening  meetings  lost  much  of  that  fonna- 
lity  which  to  youth  is  so  irksome,  and  became 
pleasant,  family  conversaziones,  om  instructor  watch- 
ing carefully  the  spirit  of  our  remarks,  and  affec- 
tionately warning  us  when  our  juvenile  criticisms 
verged  upon  captiousness  and  mere  fault-finding, 
pointmg  out  the  ofFensiveness  of  such  a  spirit  in  the 
sight  of  God,  and  its  evil  influence  upon  the  heart. 
One  feature,  especially,  of  his  demeanor  on  such 
occasions  I  cannot  forbear  to  notice,  belie^^ng  that 
all  parents  would  do  well — and  some  a  great  deal 
heUer  than  they  do  at  present — to  walk  by  the 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  283 

same  rule,  and  mind  the  same  thing.  He  never 
ridiculed  the  most  puerile,  or  even  foolish  remark, 
by  the  youngest  of  us,  -vshen  made  in  good  faith, 
nor  -n  ould  he  allow  others  to  do  so ;  but  vnth  dig- 
nified kindness,  and  as  though  responding  to  the 
question  or  observation,  -would  enlighten  the  child 
upon  the  subject  in  such  a  manner  that,  with- 
out being  told  so,  he  was  made  to  feel  that  he 
had  not  sufSciently  reflected  before  he  expressed 
his  ideas ;  and  thus  a  self-originated  resolve  to  be 
more  careful  for  the  futm-e  was  induced.  Many 
practical  infidels  at  the  present  day,  enlisted  under 
the  popular  banner  of  "  progress,"  assert  that  to 
teach  a  child  self-respect  is  the  surest  way  to  save 
him  from  vice  and  degradation,  thus  substituting 
human  volition  for  that  renewing  grace  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  which  only  can  our  children 
be  deUvered  from  the  corruption  of  their  fallen 
natm-e,  and  presented  in  the  paths  of  purity  and 
peace.  Such  a  doctrine  every  Christian  parent 
must  reject.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  most 
unwise,  and  on  the  parent's  part  cruel  in  the  ex- 
treme, to  meet  with  ridicule,  or  harshness,  or  con- 
tempt, a  child's  early  eflforts  at  expressing  its 
thoughts,  or  obtaining  fuller  information  upon  sub- 
jects which  are  floating  in  its  mind,  and  have  per- 
plexed its  juvenile  comprehension.  Often  has  my 
heart  ached  over  an  intelligent  child  thus  repulsed 
from  the  threshold  of  knowledge,  covered  with 
shame  and  mortification,  and  paralyzed  by  dis- 
couragement ;  and  I  have  seen  in  the  bewildered 


284        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

coiuitenance,  the  quivering  lip,  and  the  drooping 
head,  the  evidences  that  a  cruel,  and  perhaps  fatal, 
blow  had  been  struck  at  that  truly  important  ele- 
ment of  all  improvement  and  advancement  in  life — 
self-reliance — and  at  that  filial  confidence  which  lies 
at  the  very  foundation  of  filial  obedience.  0  while 
so  many  are  claimmg  for  the  criminal  all  that  is 
kind,  and  benevolent,  and  tender  in  treatment,  and 
on  every  hand  are  echoing  the  sentiment,  "  Deal 
gently  with  the  erring,"  let  one  voice  be  heard  in 
behalf  of  the  timid,  gentle,  confiding  child  of  your 
affections ;  and  let  not  the  simple,  or  perchance 
foolish  question,  or  remark,  which,  in  the  ignorance 
of  childhood,  it  may  utter,  be  responded  to  by  the 
crushing  burst  of  merriment,  the  cruel  rebuke  or 
the  harsh  rebuff ;  for  each  time  that  this  occurs 
you  place  a  banier  between  that  child  and  know- 
ledge, destroy  its  peace,  and  awaken  its  disti-ust, 
and  sever  one  of  those  delicate  threads  of  affection 
by  which  God,  for  wise  and  benevolent  ends,  has 
bound  that  child's  heart  to  its  parents,  and  upon 
which,  under  God's  blessing,  rests  your  only  hope 
of  guiding  it  through  the  snares  of  youth,  and  of 
recovering  it  from  evil  associations,  should  they  for 
a  season  Im-e  it  from  the  rightful  home  of  its  af- 
fections and  duty. 

It  has  been  intimated  that  we  had  local  preachers 
at  the  institution,  whose  talents  were  not  of  the 
highest  order.  Some  of  them,  and  generally  those 
who  had  least  reason,  were  rather  proud  of  coming 
to  "the  Grove."    In  speaking  of  local  preachers 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  285 

in  this  connection,  I  refer  to  those  who  were  estab- 
lished in  lay  pursuits  and  never  designed  to  travel, 
so  that  I  do  not  include  in  my  remarks  Messrs. 
Booth  and  Brownell,  already  referred  to,  who  have 
since  entered  the  itinerant  ministry,  and  are  to  this 
day  laboring  -\vith  great  acceptability  and  useful- 
ness ;  nor  Mr.  Farrar,  who  was  even  then  counted 
as  a  traveUng  preacher.  The  ministry  of  these 
three  was  a  treat  which  all  highly  prized,  though 
Mr.  Booth  spoke  much  too  rapidly  for  his  youthful 
hearers,  at  least,  to  retain  what  he  said.  Of  local 
preachers,  then,  we  had  a  variety  ;  but,  unfortu- 
nately, -vvith  the  exceptions  noted,  they  were 
nearly  of  uniform  quaUty.  The  fact  that  we  were 
catechised  in  the  evening  became  known  to  the 
"  local  brethren  ;"  the  modest  feared,  the  bold  and 
self-satisfied  rejoiced,  and,  perhaps,  were  not  at  all 
displeased  at  the  idea  of  being  "  reported."  It  is 
certain  that  some  of  the  pupils  were  no  less  Avilling 
to  oblige  them.  One  of  this  class  of  preachers, 
distinguished  not  only  by  his  "  boldness  of  speech," 
for  he  had  corresponding  manners,  and  whose 
boldness  was  equaled  by  his  ignorance  of  letters, 
afforded  us  many  opportunities  of  proving  to  Mr. 
Martindale  how  retentive  were  our  memories.  He 
had  peculiarities  of  style,  which  it  was  more  diffi- 
cult to  forget  than  to  remember ;  and  to  this  day 
I  have  the  livehest  recollection  of  the  better  half 
(in  quantity,  I  mean)  of  a  sermon  which  he  preach- 
ed on  the  last  Sunday  of  my  pupilage.  I  would  give 
it  here,  if  I  could  suppose  it  would  "tend  to  edi- 


286        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

fication,"  but  of  that  I  entertain  reasonable  doubts. 
His  text  was  Titus  ii,  14 ;  and,  perhaps,  it  may  be 
necessary  to  note  one  peculiarity,  and  to  repeat 
one  or  two  of  his  illustrations,  to  explain  what  may 
follow.  The  peculiarity  was  the  starting  of  a  diffi- 
culty as  to  the  meaning  of  the  most  famihar  words 
or  phrases,  and  prefacing  the  solution  or  explana- 
tion with  the  words,  "  Why,  what 's  that  ?"  some- 
what sharply  or  vociferously  uttered.  His  intro- 
duction— and  by  the  way  the  speaker  rejoiced  in 
a  broad  Yorkshire  dialect,  which  greatly  heightened 
the  effect  of  his  declamations — was  a  nmning  com- 
mentarjr  upon  the  preceding  verses  of  the  chapter. 
The  first  burst  was  at  the  ninth  verse  :  ' '  Exhort 
servants  not  answering  again."  "  Not  answer- 
ing ageean,"  exclaimed  the  preacher ;  "  why,  what 's 
that  ?  In  plain  words,  its  not  being  saucy.  '  Not 
purloining  ;'  why,  what 's  that  ?  In  plain  words, 
it 's  not  tacking  onny  mair  o'  your  maister's  goods 
than  you  have  occasion  for."  The  reader  will  rea- 
dily comprehend  that  the  preacher  did  not  intend 
to  set  up  so  equivocal  a  standard  of  morality  as, 
"  in  plain  words,"  his  definition  imphed.  But  to 
his  illustrations.  "'Christ  gav  himself.'  How? 
why,  by  a  covenant.  A  covenant ;  why,  what 's 
that  ?  In  plain  words,  it 's  a  bargain  beforehand. 
'  To  purify  ;'  why,  what 's  that  ?  In  plam  words, 
it 's  to  tak  away,  or  extract  t'  impurity.  T'  people 
o'  this  country  knaws  mair  aboot  iron  than  onny 
other  people,  in  onny  other  country,  aboot  onny 
other  metal.    Noo  I'll  gi'  'ye  a  similitude.  You 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  287 


tak  a  piece  of  iron  ore  to  t'  blacksmith,  and  ax  him 
to  mak  ye  a  cheen,  or  a  cruik,  or  what  not,  an 
he  '11  call  ye  a  fool,  an  tell  ye  he  can't  de  it.  But 
tak  it  first  to  t'  furnish,  (fiimace,)  and  tak  away 
or  extract  t'  impurity,  and  ax  him  to  de  t'  same 
thing  wee  it,  and  he  '11  de 't  at  yance,  if  you  '11  pay 
him  for  it." 

Now  let  the  reader  imagine  eighty  boys,  preach- 
ers' sons  too,  catechised  upon  such  a  sermon,  (which, 
by  the  Avay,  Mr.  Martindale  had  not  heard,  having 
that  day  been  preaching  in  the  circuit  himself,  and 
he  was  not,  therefore,  aware  of  the  "  enchanted 
ground "  upon  which  he  was  entering,)  and  one, 
at  least,  of  those  boys  rendered  comparatively  in- 
different to  punitive  consequences,  in  regard  to  his 
answers,  from  the  fact  that  in  less  than  seven  days 
he  would  have  left  the  institution.  The  exercises 
began  with  the  usual  question,  "Well,  boys,  who 
preached  to-day,  and  what  was  the  text  ?"  and  all 
went  on  very  orderly  and  gravely  for  awhile,  until 
the  youths  commenced  ^vith  the  introduction 
to  the  afternoon's  discourse,  and  one  gave  the 
preacher's  definition  of  "  answering  again."  "  Very 
good,"  said  Mr.  Martindale,  with  commendable 
gravity,  (though  those  who  sat  nearest  to  him 
could  detect  some  little  effort  to  keep  down  a  smile, 
and  certain  adult  members  of  the  family  who  sat 
behind  him  exchanged  glances,)  and  proceeded  to 
give  us  some  proper  counsel  on  that  point.  Next 
came  up  the  definition  of  "  purloining,"  at  which 
the  governor's  features  somewhat  relaxed  in  spite 


288        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


of  all  effort,  and  the  gra\4ty  of  some  of  the  family 
and  domestics  was  upset,  especially  when  one  of 
the  boys,  with  apparent  innocence,  as  though  he 
doubted  whether  he  had  correctly  heard  his  school- 
fellow's report,  exclaimed,  "  Why,  wAa^'s  that  ?" 
Soon  a  murmur  arose,  scarcely  understood,  except 
that  it  had  some  reference  to  the  youth  already 
referred  to  as  about  to  leave  the  academy,  but 
gradually  becoming  more  distinct,  until  at  last  it 

took  the  intellible  form  of,  "  knows  the  whole 

sermon,  sir ;"  and  the  youngster  had  accordingly  to 
answer  in  behalf  of  his  fellows,  and  give  the  "  sub- 
stance of  the  discourse."  Then  Mr.  Martindale  was 
fairly  overcome,  and  putting  a  hand  in  each  vest 
pocket,  (said  vest  enveloping  a  circle  of  no  mean 
circumference,)  he  indulged  for  a  few  moments  in 
a  good-humored  chuckle;  and  then  gradually  re- 
storing his  audience  to  gravity — delighted  and 
profited  us  for  half  an  hour  by  showing  how  God, 
in  all  ages,  had  exercised  the  prerogative  of  select- 
ing his  own  agents  for  the  spread  of  the  gospel, 
and  how,  especially  since  the  rise  of  Methodism, 
he  had  wrought  great  things  by  apparently  weak 
instrumentalities  ;  had  saved  hundreds  of  souls  by 
what  the  world  deemed  the  foolishness  of  preach- 
ing ;  and  concluded  with  an  affectionate  warning 
to  his  "  dear  boys,"  not  to  despise  any  man's  gifts, 
since  that  which  might  seem  to  us  illiterate  and 
weak,  was,  to  hundreds  of  perishing  souls  less  fa- 
vored than  ourselves,  and  accustomed  to  think  and 
speak  in  the  same  vein  as  the  preacher  we  had 


SKETCHES  01  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  289 

heard,  the  "  savor  of  life  unto  life."  That  -was  the 
last  sabbath  evening's  address  I  heard  from  his 
lips,  and  the  grateful  and  profitable  recollection 
of  it  will  remain  with  me,  I  trust,  until  death. 

Mr.  Martindale  remained  for  eight  years  at  the 
important  and  responsible  post  of  governor  of 
Woodhouse  Grove  School.  It  mil  surprise  no  one 
that  during  that  time  calls  were  made  upon  him 
which  abundantly  tried  not  only  his  natural  dispo- 
sition, but  his  Christian  graces.  During  six  years' 
experience  I  do  not  remember,  amid  the  provoca- 
tion which  the  eighty-fold  waywardness  of  the 
pupils  could  not  fail  to  give,  a  smgle  instance  in 
which  he  lost  a  proper  self-control.  Severe  mea- 
sures he  was  sometimes  compelled  to  adopt,  but 
they  were  ever  with  him  a  final  resort,  and  em- 
ployed with  reluctance.  Anything  that  savored 
of  deceit  or  falsehood,  or  other  immorality,  he  was 
prompt  to  pimish.  But  he  was  a  terror  only  to 
evil-doers.  Evidence  of  the  kindness  with  which 
he  governed  is  found  in  the  fact  that  the  boys  imi- 
versally  regretted,  and  even  feared,  the  anival  of 
the  annual  Conference,  when  Mr.  Martindale  was 
necessarily  absent  from  the  bstitution  for  about 
three  weeks.  During  this  interv  al  his  duties  de- 
volved to  a  considerable  extent  upon  the  head  mas- 
ter, and  he  ruled  us  with  a  rod  of  iron.  Petty 
laws  were  instituted  for  our  regulation  m  the  play- 
groimd,  hall,  and  dormitories,  such  as  Mr.  Martin- 
dale never  permitted,  and  the  result,  notwithstand- 
ing heavy  penalties,  was  a  degree  of  disorder,  eva- 
19 


290        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAK  PREACHERS. 

sion,  and  discontent,  which  fortunately  lasted  only 
until  the  governor's  retiu-n,  when  his  authority, 
except  in  school  hours,  again  became  paramount. 
He  "balanced  accoxmts"  with  the  pupils  every 
Saturday,  said  settlement  embracing  the  distribu- 
tion of  the  weekly  pocket  money  allowed  by  the 
institution  and  the  parents  of  the  yoimgsters  ;  the 
examination  of  the  monitors'  lists  of  transgressors ; 
and  the  award  of  reprimand,  fine,  or  corporal  pun- 
ishment, as  he  judged  the  offenders  deserved. 
Here  Mr.  M.  appeared  to  great  advantage.  As 
the  monitors  were  but  boys,  they  would  sometimes 
forget  the  strict  impartiality  which  should  have 
been  maintained,  would  have  matters  misrepre- 
sented to  them,  and  of  course  sometimes  uninten- 
tionally erred  in  judgment. 

But  Mr.  Martindale  required  the  minutest  state- 
ment of  every  charge,  heard  the  witnesses  on  both 
sides  with  unwearied  patience,  and  was  so  impar- 
tial and  merciful  in  his  decisions,  that  any  boy, 
who  might  be  wrongfully  charged  with  a  breach 
of  the  rules,  left  the  matter  for  revision  of  the 
court  on  Saturday  with  implicit  confidence.  I  do 
not  remember  during  six  years  that  I  heard  a  sin- 
gle complaint  of  imjust  punishment  at  his  hands. 

There  was  one  particular,  not  hitherto  adverted 
to,  in  wliich  Mr.  Martindale  was  eminently  faithful 
to  the  trust  reposed  in  him  by  his  brethren — he 
was  ever  anxious  that  their  sons  should  be  at- 
tached to  that  denomination  at  whose  altar  their 
fathers  ministered.    Himself  ardently  loving  the 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEVAX  PREACHERS.  291 

doctrines  and  admiring  the  discipline  of  Wesleyan 
Methodism,  he  omitted  no  opportunity  of  exhibit- 
ing its  pecuharities  to  those  under  his  care,  and 
fostering  in  their  hearts  a  devout  gratitude  for  its 
many  advantages,  and,  as  far  as  they  could  pro- 
mote them,  a  hearty  co-operation  in  its  measures 
for  the  good  of  the  world.  Hence  we  had  all  its 
ordinances  estabhshed  among  us,  and  not  unfre- 
quently  were  the  prayers  of  himself  and  others  an- 
swered by  the  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and 
nimierous  conversions  to  God  among  the  pupils. 
On  such  occasions  he  exercised  a  mse  discretion  in 
fostering  the  good  work,  and  promoting  intelligent 
piety,  guarding  us  against  professing  more  than 
we  were  perfectly  conscious  of  experiencing,  either 
of  penitence  or  peace,  spreading  out  before  us  the 
responsibilities  of  a  Christian  profession,  while  he 
no  less  fervently  dAvelt  upon  the  certainty  of  di- 
vine assistance  while  we  improved  the  grace  already 
given.  Of  his  parental,  judicious  counsels,  at  these 
times,  fruit  remains  tmtil  now,  many  continuing  to 
this  day  who  then  first  entered  the  kingdom  of  God, 
and  some  being  now  able  ministers  of  the  New 
Testament. 

Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Martindale  took  a  lively  in- 
terest in  the  efforts  of  the  pupils  to  aid  the  cause 
of  missions.  The  old  lady  personally  made  a  col- 
lection for  this  purpose  among  them  every  Satur- 
day, and  both  she  and  Mr.  M.,  and  their  three  ex- 
cellent daughters,  laid  themselves  out  to  make  the 
annual  missionary  meeting  such  a  festival  as  should 


292        SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS. 


be  attractive  to  the  neighborhood.  At  this  mission- 
ary meeting  pupils  alone  addressed  the  audience. 
The  chairman  was  generally  some  one  who  had 
received  his  education  at  Woodhouse  Grove ;  the 
family  extended  invitations  to  the  numerous  gentry 
who  resided  ^vithin  a  few  miles  of  the  place ;  the 
large  hall  was  appropriately  fitted  up  with  a 
platform  and  et  coeteras,  and  it  was  always  well 
filled  with  a  rather  choice  auditory.  The  meeting 
was  held  in  the  evening.  As  the  eventful  hour 
approached,  the  speakers  might  be  seen,  dressed 
with  more  than  ordinary  care,  moving  solitarily 
about  in  the  playground,  practicing  elocution  with 
amusing  earnestness,  and  reciting  their  carefully- 
written  addresses.  These  meetings  were  always 
productive  m  a  pecuniary  sense,  rarely  unprofita- 
ble in  a  higher  sense,  and  the  speeches  generally 
were  really  good,  Avithovit  making  any  large  al- 
lowance for  the  juvenility  of  the  speakers.  Some- 
times a  boy's  memory  would  fail  him,  and  once  I 
remember  one  of  the  advocates  stuck  very  fast, 
and  after  two  or  three  discouraging  attempts  to 
recover  the  "  thread  of  his  discoiirse,"  was  about 
resuming  his  seat  in  blank  despair,  when  Mrs. 
Martindale  called  out  from  the  opposite  end  of  the 
hall,  "  Take  your  speech  out  of  your  pocket,  and 
read  it,  my  lad  ;  it 's  worth  it."  Prompters  were 
unknown  to  us.  On  another  occasion,  at  which 
the  writer  had  the  honor  to  preside,  one  of  the 
speakers,  the  son  of  a  missionary,  the  results  of 
whose  abundant  labors  form  one  of  the  bright- 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAX  PREACHERS.  293 

est  pages  m  the  history  of  Wesleyan  missions,  was 
waxing  siu-prisingly  warm,  and  proportionably  el- 
oquent in  his  appeals,  and  at  length  ventured  upon 
violent  gesticulation  to  give  additional  force  to  his 
sentiments.  Down  came  one  of  his  hands  with  a 
sudden  blow  upon  the  secretarj  's  table ;  the  ink- 
stand leaped,  the  candles  danced,  all  on  the 
platform  started  as  though  moved  by  a  galvanic 
shock,  and  to  crown  the  whole,  the  youth  had 
knocked  both  liis  ideas  and  his  phraseology  into 
utter  confusion,  and  stood  a  silent  participator  in 
the  general  wonderment.  The  chairman  did  his 
best  to  conceal  the  speaker's  confusion  by  inter- 
rupting  him  with  one  or  two  incidental  remarks, 
and  when  he  saw  that  the  yoimg  gentleman  had 
sufficiently  recovered,  requested  him  to  proceed. 
The  remainder  of  the  speech  was  more  temper- 
ately delivered,  and  it  was  one  which  would  have 
done  credit  to  riper  yeai's. 

Mr.  Martindale  died  at  the  Conference  of  1824, 
of  cholera,  while  yet  comparatively  in  his  vigor. 
His  last  end  was,  what  his  life  had  prepared  all  to 
expect,  peaceful  and  triumphant.  Though  the 
stroke  was  sudden,  he  was  foimd  waiting  for  the 
coming  of  his  Lord.  I  believe  his  widow  still  sur- 
vives, but  she  must  be  much  advanced  in  yeai-s. 

No  man  can  look  back  with  indifference  upon 
the  days  and  scenes  of  his  youth,  whether  the  re- 
trospect be  painful  or  pleasing  ;  and  in  %-iew  of  this 
common  feeling,  perhaps,  I  may  be  pardoned  for 
adding  to  this  sketch  the  following  stanzas  : — 


294 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS. 


A  RETROSPECT  OF  YOUTH. 

O,  bright  were  the  days  of  my  youlli, 

As  they  rapidly  glided  away  ; 
When  my  heart  was  the  mirror  of  truth, 

And  my  path  was  illumed  by  her  ray  ; 
When  I  knew  not  tlie  guile  of  the  world, 

Nor  saw  its  enticements  display'd  ; 
The  banner  of  hope  was  unfurl'd. 

In  beauty  and  brightness  array'd. 

And  I  dream 'd  that  this  banner  alone 

.Should  ever  wave  over  niy  head  ; 
Tliat  my  Iieart  should  be  purity's  throne. 

And  vice  should  be  liaimless  or  dead  ; 
But  the  days  of  my  manhood  are  come. 

And  tlie  dream  of  my  youthtime  is  -o'er  ; 
Disappointment  and  care  are  my  doom. 

And  my  trials  are  greater  and  more. 

O,  briglit  were  the  scenes  tliat  appear'd, 

Illusive,  alas  !  tliougli  they  proved  ; 
And  gladsome  the  liopes  that  1  rear'd. 

Though  tliey  droop'd  as  their  soil  was  removed  ; 
If  I  tasted  the  bitter  at  all, 

The  drop  did  envalue  the  sweet ; 
And  pleasure  was  tltere  at  my  call, 

1  fear'd  not— I  knew  not— deceit. 

And  I  fancied  the  stream  of  my  Ufe 

Would  ever  flow  even  and  calm  ; 
Ilntoss'd  by  the  rapids  of  strife. 

Unmoved  by  tlie  tide  of  alarm  : — 
But  the  days  of  my  manhood  are  come. 

And  the  dream  of  my  youthtime  is  o*er  ; 
Life's  current  is  whiten'd  with  foam, 

And  the  breakers  are  loud  in  their  roar. 

0  guide  me.  thou  God  of  my  sire. 
My  errors  in  mercy  forgive  ; 

With  wisdom  and  virtue  inspire. 
In  faith,  hope,  and  love,  let  me  live. 

Nor  poverty  give  me,  nor  wealth. 
Lest  eitlier  should  lead  me  astray  ; 

1  ask  not  for  sickness  or  health. 
But,  ah  !  for  Thy  blessing  I  pray. 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS.  296 


Darnel  Cljapman. 

"  That  he  hath  wondrous  power  of  language  no  one  denieth ;  he 
useth  large  words  and  many,  and  withal,  hath  no  interpreter,  wliich 
for  the  unleamed's  ssike  is  pity  ;  yet  hath  his  heart  warm  sympa- 
thies with  the  commonest  of  his  kind." 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  has  no  parallel  among 
either  the  Britisli  or  American  Methodist  preach- 
ei-s.  Such  a  compound  of  peculiarities,  such  an 
embodiment,  it  might  almost  be  said,  of  contrarie- 
ties, cannot  be  met  -n-ith  out  of  the  circimiference 
of  his  own  corporealty,  as  he  would  probably  ex- 
press the  idea.  He  not  only,  in  accordance  with 
Mr.  Wesley's  advice,  dares  to  be  singular,  but  one 
is  half  tempted  to  beheve  glories  therein.  All 
the  details  of  the  man,  his  mental  organization, 
personal  presence,  apparel,  social  habits,  conversa- 
tion, and  public  exercises,  are  iinique.  To  "  sketch" 
him  truthfully  is  difficult.  To  pass  him  by  would 
be  to  overlook  a  subject  of  more  than  ordinary 
interest. 

He  is  probably  now  about  forty -three  years  of  age. 
He  entered  the  ministry  in  1826.  There  is  little 
John  Bull-ism  about  his  personal  appearance. 
The  face  is  thin  ;  the  complexion  dark ;  the  eyes 
large  and  expressive,  surrounded  by  a  dark  circle, 
and  sunk  deep  into  the  head ;  the  hair  jet  black, 
hanging  carelessly  about  his  forehead,  which  is 
well  developed.  He  is  about  five  feet  six  or 
seven  inches  in  height,  dresses  clerically,  but  care- 


296        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


lessly,  his  clothes  hanging  about  him  as  though 
made  for  a  larger  man.  Even  his  white  cravat  is 
tied  so  loosely  that  the  throat  is  visible  far  below 
the  "  Eve's  apple,"  which,  as  in  the  case  of  many 
public  speakers,  is  large  and  prominent.  His 
manners  are  remarkably  soft  and  gentle,  with 
pecuharities,  as  has  been  intimated,  worthy  of  note. 

Mr.  Chapman  is,  I  beHeve,  a  native  of  Sheffield, 
At  least  from  that  town  he  emerged  into  notice. 
His  introduction  to  public  attention  was  on  this 
wise :  The  Rev.  James  Everett  was  at  the  time 
stationed  in  Sheffield  ;  and,  in  the  regular  quarterly 
visitation  of  the  classes,  met  that  of  which  Mr. 
Chapman  was  a  member.  It  was  a  week-day  class  ; 
and,  as  is  customary  at  such  times,  the  preacher 
generally  having  two  or  three  classes  to  meet  the 
same  evening,  was  convened  rather  earlier  than 
usual.  There  Avas  not  sufficient  interval  between 
the  hour  for  meeting  and  the  time  of  leaving  work, 
to  admit  of  Mr.  Chapman's  going  home,  perfomi- 
ing  his  ablutions,  and  changing  his  apparel.  Rather 
than  miss  the  means  he  went  in  his  working  clothes, 
his  face  and  hands  bearing  evidence  of  the  nature 
of  his  employment.  On  being  questioned  as  to 
his  spiritual  state,  he  related  his  experience  in 
language  so  much  superior  to  what  his  apparent 
condition  justified,  that  the  preacher's  godly  jea- 
lousy was  awakened,  and  with  his  counsels  he 
mingled  reproof  and  caution  against  vanity  and  self- 
conceit,  and  especially  against  indulgence  in  these 
xmder  such  circumstances.    Keenly  did  Mr.  Chap- 


BKETCHES  OF  WKSLETAN  PREACHERS.  297 


man  feel  the  suspicion  and  reproof ;  for  the  em- 
ployment of  peculiar  language  was  in  consonance 
with  the  construction  of  his  mind ;  and,  if  not 
natural,  was,  at  least,  a  habit  so  early  formed  as 
to  be  second  only  to  nature  in  its  force.  His  good 
sense  and  Christian  principle,  however,  saved  him 
from  any  exhibition  of  resentment  at  the  time,  and 
told  him  that  he,  being  personally  unknown  to  Mr. 
Everett,  the  latter  unavoidably  judged  by  appear- 
ances, and  could  have  administered  the  reproof, 
not  from  any  personal  feeling,  but  only  from  a 
sense  of  duty  and  responsibihty,  as  one  that  watch- 
ed over  his  soxil.  On  the  following  day  he  wrote 
to  Mr.  Everett,  report  says  in  two  languages,  Latin 
and  Greek,  adding  a  luie  or  two  in  Enghsh,  indi- 
cating who  the  writer  was,  and  why  he  had  thus 
written.  Mr.  Everett's  surprise  may  be  readily 
imagined.  He  promptly  waited  upon  Mr.  Chap- 
man, mutual  explanations  and  a  good  understanding 
followed,  and  the  result  was,  that  in  a  veiy  short 
time  the  more  wealthy  members  of  society,  with,  I 
believe,  some  Dissenters,  took  Mr.  C.  under  their 
care,  and  rightly  concluding  that  a  young  man, 
who  made  such  progress  in  learning  under  such 
adverse  circumstances,  possessed  more  than  ordi- 
nary abilities,  which  might  be  useful  to  the  church, 
sent  him  to  college  for  a  short  time  to  complete 
his  education.  After  the  expiration  of  that  time, 
he  was  duly  recommended  for  the  itinerancy,  and 
was,  by  the  Conference,  accepted,  and  appointed  to 
a  circuit. 


298        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


Mr.  Chapman's  natural  disposition  is  exceed- 
ingly amiable  and  gentle.  Some  peculiarities  attach 
to  him  which  have  tended  rather  to  his  disad- 
vantage, and  for  awhile  exposed  him  to  some  want 
of  confidence  on  the  part  of  his  more  staid  and 
matter-of-fact  brethren.  One  peculiarity  consists 
in  a  remarkable  verbosity  which  early  custom  made 
with  him  a  second  nature,  but  which,  with  ma- 
turity of  years,  has  considerably  worn  off,  and  the 
innate  goodness  of  his  nature  and  fidelity  of  Chris- 
tian and  pastoral  deportment  have  long  since  re- 
moved any  prejudice  which,  on  that  score,  might 
formerly  exist.  The  confidence  and  esteem  of  the 
preachers  generally  are  all  the  more  freely  accorded 
to  him  now,  because  it  is  well  known  that  while 
often  enduring  rebuke  from  the  senior  ministers, 
and  even  kept  back  from  such  stations  as  his  talents 
and  popularity  would  have  entitled  him  to,  he  re- 
solutely adhered  to  Wesleyan  Methodism  though 
tempting  proposals  were  made  to  him  from  various 
other  denominations.  Amid  all  these  opposing 
liinderances  he  has  shown  no  resentment,  though 
it  is  known  to  his  more  intimate  friends  that  he 
keenly  felt  the  misconstruction  of  his  motives  and 
character,  but  has  fulfilled  cheerfully  such  ap- 
pointments as  were  given  him,  performed  faithfully 
every  duty  assigned  to  him,  and  refusing  many  of 
the  invitations  which  poured  in  upon  him  from 
every  quarter  to  preach  occasional  sermons  out  of 
his  circuit,  has  given  himself,  -with  earnest  devotion, 
to  his  work  as  a  Methodist  preacher.    In  all  this 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  299 

he  has  been  strenuous  in  maintaining  his  independ- 
ence and  Christian  firmness,  and  his  personal  rights, 
or  those  which  were  his  in  common  with  other 
preachers  of  the  same  standing  in  point  of  years 
in  the  connection.  Some  years  ago  he  lost  his 
wife,  to  whom  he  was  attached  ^vith  all  the  con- 
fiding ardor  of  his  amiable  and  generous  nature, 
and  many  of  his  early  exuberances  have  died  away 
under  the  chastening  influence  of  that  dispensa- 
tion. 

As  a  preacher  I  have  had  comparatively  Uttle 
opportunity  of  judging  of  Mr.  Chapman.  I  heard 
him  in  the  zenith  of  his  fame,  and  was  inclined  to 
doubt  the  legitimacy  of  his  popularity.  Since  then, 
I  beUeve,  his  ministry  has  become  much  more 
spiritual  in  its  character.  Then  his  peculiarities 
were  in  full  bloom,  and  his  discourses  were  more 
calculated  to  astonish  than  profit.  At  all  times 
he  has  employed  a  redundancy  of  words.  Perhaps 
never  man  possessed  such  a  voluminous  vocabulaiy. 
It  was  inexplicable  where  he  foimd  such  words 
and  so  multitudinous.  His  language  often  pre- 
sented beautiful  and  dazzUng  collocations — pas- 
sages of  powerful  and  dazzling  grandeur.  But  too 
often  they  bewildered  rather  than  instructed  the 
hearer.  Like  an  avalanche,  they  were  overwhelm- 
ing. The  audience  listened  in  mute  wonderment 
to  the  progress  of  the  crushing  mass — gazed, 
almost  with  breathless  awe,  upon  its  gigantic  and 
impetuous  leaps,  but  were  too  much  paralyzed  to 
admit  a  single  idea  beyond  the  vague  consciousness 


300        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHEH8. 


of  the  rapid,  resistless  progress  of  the  descending 
mass. 

His  mode  of  commencement,  too,  took  the  hearer 
by  surprise.  The  text  would  be  announced  in  a 
comparatively  quiet  tone,  but  the  first  sentence  of 
the  discourse  would  be  uttered  in  the  highest  pitch 
of  a  voice  whose  shrill,  startling  tones,  came  upon 
you  like  a  thunder  clap,  and  reverberated  in  the 
remotest  comer  of  the  most  capacious  building, 
gradually  falling  to  a  more  agreeable  key  as  the 
long  sentence,  burdened  with  ponderous  words, 
approached  its  conclusion.  Each  new  sentence 
was  struck  upon  the  same  high  key  again  to  de- 
scend to  a  lower  note  toward  its  close.  The  m- 
troduction  concluded,  the  preacher  announced  the 
entire  outline  of  his  sermon,  the  main  and  subdivi- 
sions with  all  their  minor  topics  and  inferences.  Of 
that  form  or  syllabus  the  audience  heard  no  more, 
so  far  as  phraseology  was  concerned.  Each  branch 
was  taken  up  seriatim  and  discussed,  the  only  guide 
by  which  the  people  could  track  the  preacher,  or 
at  any  given  time  detect  his  whereabouts,  being 
their  recollection  of  the  outline,  and  a  pause  be- 
tween each  division,  longer  or  shorter,  as  it  might 
be  a  major  or  a  minor.  The  discourse  was,  in 
fact,  a  series  of  essays,  preceded  by  a  table  of  con- 
tents, unexceptionable  in  its  sentiments  and  doc- 
trines. But  such  fruit  as  was  fit  for  the  sustenance 
of  the  people  was  wrapped  up  in  such  excess  of 
foUage  that  it  was  not  easy  for  the  "  simple  souls  " 
to  lay  their  hands  upon  it,  appropriate  it  to  their 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS.  301 

own  use,  and  "feed  upon  it  in  their  hearts  with 
thanksgiving."  This,  I  repeat,  was  some  years 
since.  All  seem  to  admit  that  more  recently, 
while  still  retaining  his  wondrous  power  of  lan- 
guage, he  frames  his  discourses  upon  more  accept- 
able models  and  is  more  deservedly  popular  than 
at  any  former  time,  all  his  sermons  being  saturated 
with  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  and  consequently 
more  spiritually  advantageous  to  his  hearers,  while 
his  unutterable  gentleness  and  meekness,  and  his 
eminent  Chiistian  purity,  have  won  for  him  the 
undisguised  esteem  and  respect  of  all. 


302        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PEEACHEK8. 


Jrancig  ^.  iDest. 

"  He  cannot  flatter  and  speak  fair, 
Smile  in  men's  faces,  smooth,  deceive,  and  coy." 

"  A  man  whom  storms  can  never  make 
Meanly  complain  ;  nor  can  a  flattering  gale 
Make  him  talk  proudly." 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  educated  at  Wood- 
house  Grove  School,  whence,  and  from  Kingswood, 
have  come  some  of  the  brightest  ornaments  of  the 
Wesleyan  ministry  at  the  present  day.  At  the 
Conference  of  1822  he  entered  upon  the  itinerancy, 
and  was  appointed  to  the  Lynn  and  Swaff  ham  cir- 
cuit. It  was  one  of  those  commonly  called  hard 
circuits,  and  Mr.  West's  "seasoning"  for  the  itin- 
erancy was  somewhat  severe  ;  he  contracted  the 
prevailing  disease  of  that  part  of  the  country — ague 
and  low  fever — from  the  effects  of  which  he  did  not 
recover  for  some  time.  At  the  ensuing  Confer- 
ence he  was  removed  to  Cambridge,  an  improve- 
ment in  the  matter  of  climate,  though  a  sHght  one 
in  the  main,  as  many  of  the  coimtry  places  were  in 
the  same  flat,  marshy  district.  Here  his  superin- 
tendent was  the  Rev.  John  Smedley,  a  compara- 
tively young  man,  who  had  just  returned  from  a 
mission  station.  Some  surprise  was  felt,  and  per- 
haps some  anxiety,  that  two  men  so  young,  and 
comparatively  inexperienced  in  the  practical  ad- 
ministration of  Methodism,  should  be  appointed  to 
a  station  in  which  Methodism  was  exposed  to  so 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  303 

much  contumely  and  imfriendly  oversight.  They, 
however,  felt  theu-  responsibility,  and  mutually  re- 
solved to  be  cordial  co-workers  in  the  ministry. 
Tlie}-  labored  together  rather  as  brothers  and 
equals  than  with  reference  to  theu-  relative  official 
position,  and  the  following  Conference  showed  its 
approval  and  contmued  confidence  by  reappointing 
them  to  the  same  circuit.  At  first,  the  collegians, 
emboldened  by  the  youth  of  the  two  preachers, 
were  disposed  to  annoy  and  intimidate  them,  occa- 
sionally venturing  so  far  as  to  attempt  the  inter- 
ruption of  dinne  worship,  but  soon  finding  to  their 
cost  that  Mr.  West  was  not  the  man  to  allow  any 
one  to  "  despise  his  youth,"  they  prudently  resolv- 
ed to  let  the  "Methodist  parsons"  alone. 

At  the  Conference  of  1825  Mr.  West  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  Hampstead  circuit,  and  preached 
occasionally  in  the  London  chapels.  His  ministra- 
tions in  the  gi-eat  city  attracted  considerable  atten- 
tion, and  brought  him  imder  the  notice  of  the  more 
influential  members  of  the  Conference.  The  fol- 
lowing year  he  was  received  into  full  connection, 
and  stationed  in  the  third  London  circuit,  where  he 
labored  with  much  acceptance.  He  is  not  favored 
with  an  imposmg  "  presence,"  a  sonoi'ous  voice,  or 
any  of  the  physical  elements  of  a  popular  preacher ; 
yet  amid  the  many  great  men,  of  various  denomi- 
nations, who  occupied  the  London  pulpits,  he  was 
highly  esteemed  as  a  minister,  whom  intellectual 
men  might  hear  with  pleasiu-e,  and  even  aged 
Christians  with  profit.    His  acceptability  lay  in  the 


304        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

clearness  with  which  he  perceived  and  expounded 
the  truth,  and  the  effect  of  his  preaching  was  a 
proof  of  the  power  of  words  fitly  chosen.  The 
first  time  he  preached  in  Great  Queen-street  Chapel 
was  as  a  supply  for  the  Rev.  Richard  Watson,  who 
was  prevented  by  sudden  indisposition  from  occu- 
pying the  pulpit.  The  edifice  was  crowded,  many 
members  of  the  House  of  Commons  and  several 
noblemen  of  distinction  being  present ;  and  in  a 
prominent  part  of  the  gallery  were  a  couple  of  re- 
porters, dispatched  from  the  "Pulpit"  oflSce  to 
secure  Mr.  Watson's  sermon.  Great  was  the  dis- 
appointment, when  "some  young  man  from  the 
Mission-house"  (as  was  supposed)  ascended  the 
pulpit ;  and  the  reporters,  who  had  experienced 
great  difficulty  in  squeezing  into  a  front  pew,  ex- 
changed glances,  as  much  as  to  say,  "Well,  we 
have  had  our  labor  for  our  pains  this  time."  As 
the  preacher  unfolded  his  text — "  The  word  is  nigh 
thee,  that  is  the  word  of  faith  which  we  preach''  &c. 
— the  attention  of  the  congregation  became  riveted, 
the  reporters  busily  pUed  their  pencils,  and  before 
the  conclusion  of  the  sermon  one  gentleman,  over- 
come by  his  feelings,  and  forgetting,  for  a  moment, 
the  sacredness  of  the  place,  exclaimed,  "  Hear, 
hear,"  as  I  learn  from  a  number  of  the  "Pulpit" 
now  lying  before  me,  in  which  a  report  of  the  dis- 
course appears  vrith  unusually  eulogistic  editorial 
remarks. 

As  a  theologian,  Mr.  West  has  few  superiors  in 
the  Wesleyan  connection.    It  has  been  said  of 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  305 


him,  that  he  "  unites  the  solid  divinity  of  the  old 
school  with  the  ease  and  eloquence  of  the  modem ;" 
and  the  remark  is  just.  He  is  an  ardent  admher 
of  Manton,  and  Howe,  and  Baxter,  and  Jeremy 
Taj-lor,  and  is  especially  a  student  of  Wesley.  He 
is  an  e.xtensive  reader,  and  possesses  a  large  and 
valuable  library,  from  wliich  eveiy  work  not  of 
sterling  value  is  rigidly  excluded.  He  is  an  invet- 
erate foe  of  "  light  Uterature,"  as  the  phrase  runs, 
though  few  men  can  better  enjoy  a  really  clever 
satire,  or  a  piece  of  quiet  humor ;  has  a  keen  rehsh 
for  Butler's  Analogy,  and  considers  Pearson  on 
the  Creed  about  the  third  book  in  creation,  the 
Bible  being  first,  and  Mr.  Wesley's  works  second.* 
With  all  Mr.  West's  admitted  excellence  as  a 
preacher,  he  is  not  exactly  popular,  as  that  word 
is  popularly  used.  He  lacks  imagination.  He 
rarely  acliieves  any  bursts  of  overpowering  elo- 
quence. His  style  is  nervous  rather  than  capti- 
vating. He  commands  attention,  not  by  rhetorical 
flourishes,  but  by  the  clearness  of  his  views,  and 
the  logical  force  of  his  arguments.  His  language 
is  purely  Saxon.  He  convinces  his  hearers,  and 
lays  hold  upon  their  judgments  more  than  upon 
their  passions.  Yet  his  preaching  is  not  merely 
intellectual :  there  is  nothing  of  coldness  about  it. 

*  I  humbly  conceive  he  is  not  far  wrong  in  his  estimate  of  Pear- 
son. When  once  the  somewhat  peculiar  and  antiquated  style  of 
the  author  is  mastered,  and  that  is  no  very  difficult  task,  the  book  is 
truly  marrow  and  fatness.  .\  close  study  of  it  would  Improve  and 
enrich  any  man's  ministry,  who  had  not  before  dived  into  its 
treasury  of  thought  and  argument. 

20 


306        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


The  gospel,  from  his  hps,  is  a  "  life-giving  word ;" 
delivered  with  energy  as  well  as  with  earnestness, 
and  coming  home  to  the  hearts  of  men.  Yet,  con- 
sidering the  large  and  constantly  increasing  con- 
gregations which  he  draws  in  every  circuit  to 
which  he  is  appointed,  he  is  comparatively  seldom 
called  to  preach  "  occasional "  sermons,  to  the  sur- 
prise of  many,  who,  sitting  regularly  under  his 
ministiy,  place  upon  it  a  very  high  estimate.  The 
truth  is,  that  he  not  only  does  not  possess  the 
elements  of  general  popularity,  but  docs  possess 
certain  qualities  which  rather  militate  against  it. 
He  is  a  finn  believer  in  the  total  depravity  of  man, 
and  entertains  a  firm  persuasion  that  even  regene- 
rate men  do  not  sufficiently  examine  themselves, 
their  motives  and  affections.  Under  this  impres- 
sion, and  as  a  watchman  on  the  walls  of  Zion,  he 
has  become,  in  an  eminent  degree,  a  searching, 
probing,  practical  preacher.  Few  men  have  so  inti- 
mate an  acquaintance  with  the  human  heart,  and 
can  so  fairly  uncover,  in  its  labyrinthine  retreats, 
the  great  principle  of  self.  He  loves  to  expose  the 
presence  of  this  master  idol,  and  for  this  purpose 
is  constantly  seizing  upon  and  analyzing  the  vari- 
ous forms  of  sin  and  infidelity  of  heart  with  wliich 
it  is  incorporated.  But  this,  while  it  gives  great 
value  and  power  to  his  "  stated  ministry,"  rather 
detracts  from  his  suitability  for  occasional  services. 

There  are  other  reasons  why  Mr.  West  is  not 
extensively  employed  to  preach  sermons  in  behalf 
of  and  involving  collections  for  specific  objects. 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  307 

such  as  missions,  chapel  tnists,  Sunday  schools, 
&c.,  &c.  One  of  these  reasons  is  found  in  his  per- 
sonal disinclination  to  that  peculiar  duty,  now  so 
often  expressed  that  it  has  become  pretty  gene- 
rally knoAvn.  This  disinclination  arises,  probably, 
from  physical  causes — a  constitutional  tempera- 
ment, which  renders  any  service  to  which  extra 
responsibility  attaches  exceedingly  hazardous  to 
his  health,  not  very  robust  and  liable  to  serious 
interruptions  at  the  best.  With  Mr.  West,  preach- 
ing is  no  hght  or  easy  work.  He  is  constantly 
aiming  at  somethmg  whereimto  he  has  not  yet 
attained.  The  best  sermon  he  preached  this  year 
he  would  be  out  of  love  with  next.  The  reply  of 
Constable  to  Archdeacon  Fisher  when  asked  his 
opinion  of  a  sermon  he  had  heard  a  little  too  often, 
"  /  alwai/s  did  like  that  sermon,"  could  not  pro- 
perly be  made  to  the  subject  of  this  sketch ;  for 
though,  perhaps,  by  following  him  from  circuit  to 
circuit,  one  might  hear  the  same  text  preached 
from  a  second  time,  the  sermon  would  most  likely 
be  entirely  remodeled,  and  certainly  improved. 
Those  who  are  satisfied  with  their  own  mental 
labors,  or  their  results,  are  not  likely  ever  to  anive 
at  permanent  eminence.  Intellectual  self-compla- 
cency is  conclusive  evidence  of  a  little  mind.  The 
men  who  have  attained  enduring  fame  in  literature, 
or  in  any  branch  of  science,  have  reached  that  goal, 
not  by  placid  contemplation  of  their  first  successes, 
but  by  adopting  a  principle  incidentally  taught, 
like  many  other  weighty  and  important  lessons,  in 


308        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

the  sacred  writings — "  leaving  the  things  that  are 
behind,  and  pressing  on  toward  those  which  are 
before."  And  who  can  doubt  that  this  is  not  only 
the  best  policy,  but  the  imperative  duty,  of  those 
who  are  appointed  to  the  "  ministry  of  reconcilia- 
tion?" He  who,  having  constructed  a  sufficient 
number  of  sermons  for  any  possible  contingency, 
thereupon  sits  do>vn  contented,  and  exclaims,  "  Now 
I  am  full — now  I  am  rich" — cannot  possibly  have 
imbibed  that  spirit  of  self-sacrifice  and  self-denying 
labor,  which  is  the  true  gloiy  of  the  minister  of  the 
New  Testament — the  indubitable  sign  that  he  is 
called  by  the  Spirit  to  negotiate  with  sinners,  if 
haply  by  any  means  he  may  bring  them  to  God. 

Mr.  West  is  never  satisfied  with  his  execution  of 
ministerial  duties,  and  upon  ever)'  occasion  of  more 
than  ordinary  importance  enters  the  pulpit  under 
an  oppressive  sense  of  responsibility.  On  such  oc- 
casions an  attentive  observer  would  probably  notice 
slight  indications  of  anxiety  in  the  preacher's  coun- 
tenance, the  lines  of  thought  deepened  and  ex- 
tended, and  a  peculiar  paleness  overspreading  the 
face.  When  the  last  two  lines  of  the  hymn  have 
been  given  out,  the  preacher  will  probably  sit  down 
and  bury  his  face  in  his  handkerchief,  as  though 
struggling  with  powerful  emotions  ;  and  an  inspira- 
tion deep,  yet  suppressed,  will  escape  him,  showing 
that  he  is  seeking  relief  in  prayer.  The  singing 
ceases — and  the  congregation,  reseated,  preserve 
profound  silence,  for  it  is  well  known  that  the 
preacher's  voice  is  not  loud  ;  but  it  is  clear,  and 


SKETCHES  or  WESLEVAX  PREACHERS.  309 

his  articulation  distinct,  so  that,  even  -wlien  he  com- 
mences, it  can  be  heard  in  the  remotest  part  of  the 
largest  chapel  if  the  congregation  is  silent  and  atten- 
tive. As  he  rises,  he  passes  his  hand  slowly  and  hea- 
A"ily  across  his  forehead,  and,  with  some  deliberation, 
aimounces  his  text,  which  is  almost  sure  to  be  a 
branch,  or  the  conclusion,  of  an  argument,  or  to 
embody  some  gi-eat  principle,  for  he  has  an  aver- 
sion to  what  are  called  "  accommodation"  sermons, 
or  mere  inferential  preaching.  The  introduction  leads 
to  the  main  subject  by  a  natural  and  easy  gradation, 
the  speaker's  manner  being  simply  earnest,  as  though 
engaged  in  serious  conversation  with  each  of  his 
hearers — unfolding  and  opening  the  tmth,  and  ap- 
proaching the  sentiment  of  his  text,  as  a  botanist 
Avould  unfold  a  flower  when  explaining  it  to  an 
intelligent  pupil.  Having  by  this  process  awakened 
the  interest  of  his  congregation,  he  reveals  his  plan, 
and  now  gives  to  his  intellect  fidler  play  :  assumes 
gradually  a  more  independent  attitude  toward  his 
hearers,  until,  almost  without  being  aware  of  the 
change,  you  perceive  that  he  is  preaching  to  those 
with  whom,  a  short  time  since,  he  seemed  only  in 
familiar  converse.  Now  the  right  hand  is  brought 
into  action,  that  being  his  principal  and  almost  only 
gesture, — he  becomes  animated — then  impassioned, 
and  at  length  vehement.  But  it  reminds  you  of 
the  "  vehement  desire,"  spoken  of  by  the  poet, 
rather  than  of  mere  excitement — ^it  is  the  vehe- 
mence of  the  ambassador  impressed  with  the  im- 
portance of  his  message,  and  the  necessity  of  the 


310        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

immediate  acceptance,  on  the  part  of  his  hearers, 
of  the  terms  he  ofters.  As  he  draws  nearer  the 
close  of  his  discourse  his  physical  energy  is  severely 
taxed,  and  you  almost  wonder  that  so  frail  a  frame 
should  be  capable  of  such  great  and  continuous 
efforts,  (for  Mr.  West  rarely  concludes  his  discourse 
within  an  hour,  or  an  hour  and  a  quarter,  on  Sun- 
day evenings.)  The  physical  is  entirely  subservient 
to  the  mental ;  the  preacher  laboring,  stnigghng 
almost,  with  the  vastness  of  his  theme,  and  striving 
to  secure  the  judgments  as  well  as  convince  the 
consciences  of  his  hearers.  There  is  no  rant — in- 
deed his  utterance,  during  the  application  of  his 
sermon,  is  slower  than  in  the  foraier  portions,  and 
he  seems  to  trust  for  success  rather  to  a  series  of 
well-studied  and  deliberate  blows  with  the  "  ham- 
mer of  the  word"  than  to  a  coup-de-main.  He 
seems  laboring,  as  time  and  strength  are  nearly 
run  out,  to  compress  the  force  of  fifty  words  into 
one,  and  to  hurl  that  with  resistless  force  at  the 
door  of  the  sinner's  heart,  crasliing  and  breaking 
down  every  barrier  to  the  entrance  of  the  trath ; 
while  the  absorbed  attention  of  the  congregation 
testifies  to  the  power  of  his  appeals. 

Mr.  West's  preaching  is  eminently  spiritual  and 
experimental.  His  week  evening  and  Sunday 
morning  discourses  are  emphatically  rich,  for  that 
is  the  most  appropriate  word  by  which  their  qua- 
lity can  be  described,  and  it  is  a  term  repeatedly 
applied  to  them.  He  is  not  "  ignorant  of  Satan's 
devices,"  and  is  skillful  in  guarding  the  people  of 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEVAX  PREACHERS.  311 

God  against  his  open  or  more  covert  attacks.  It 
is  greatly  to  his  credit,  that,  from  the  earUest  days 
of  his  ministry  to  the  present,  while  he  is  a  highly 
intellectual  preacher,  and  of  the  modem  school,  the 
oldest  and  most  pious  members  of  every  congrega- 
tion, to  wliich  he  has  statedly  ministered,  have 
been  his  warm  admirers,  while  the  poor  especially 
have  eagerly  attended  upon  his  preaching.  We 
mention  this  to  correct  a  common  error,  which  sup- 
poses that  an  intellectual  ministry  is  incompatible 
with  a  Christ-exalting  and  thoroughly  experimental 
preaching ;  and  that,  especially,  it  is  not  calculated 
to  feed  the  souls  of  the  poor  and  illiterate — that  it 
is  neither  acceptable  nor  profitable  to  them.  The 
supposed  incompatibility  of  the  two  is  a  grievous 
mistake,  as  numerous  instances  have  proved  ;  and 
the  latter  supposition  is  not  only  equally  erroneous, 
but  is  an  insult  to  the  intelligence  of  that  numer- 
ous class  of  Christians  whose  path  God  hath  ap- 
pointed in  the  poorer  and  more  laborious  walks  of 
life.  -I  have  heard  ministers,  whose  sole  aim  has 
appeared  to  be  to  demean  the  God-de\-ised  eco- 
nomy of  human  redemption,  the  revealed  truth  of 
Infinite  Wisdom — or  who,  at  least,  have  prefen-ed 
to  use  the  most  vulgar  and  earth-bom  illustrations 
and  arguments  while  preaching  the  "  glorious  gos- 
pel of  the  blessed  God  " — professing  to  despise  all 
elegance  or  refinement  of  language  or  thought,  and 
reducing  the  subUmities  of  the  gospel  to  their  own 
narrow  views,  instead  of  presenting  them  to  the 
people  in  all  their  lofty  spirituality  and  captivating 


312        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEVAX  PREACHERS. 


beauty,  that  their  hearers  may  aspire  to  wake  up 
after  God's  image  and  likeness.  Men  are  to  be 
elevated  as  well  as  saved  by  the  gospel — to  be 
made  to  realize  that  they  are  sentient,  immortal 
beings,  who  are  to  be  titted  here  for  association 
and  converse  hereafter  with  angels  and  with  God  ; 
and  we  cannot  think  that  this  is  to  be  accomplished 
by  unstudied  sermons,  interlarded  with  hackneyed 
jokes  and  clap-trap  vulgarisms,  which  excite  the 
laugh  of  the  ignorant,  but  the  merited  contempt  of 
the  well  informed.  One  is  sometimes  constrained 
to  wonder,  while  listening  to  preachers  of  this  class, 
whether  they  would  preach  in  the  same  strain,  if 
they  had  timely  notice  that  the  Son  of  God,  in  the 
majesty  of  his  visible  presence  and  awful  glory, 
would  stand  at  their  right  hand,  and  the  recording 
angel  take  notes  of  their  discourses.  Surely  thej 
find  no  waiTant  for  "  their  peculiar  style  of  preach- 
ing" in  the  example  of  the  apostle  Paul,  or  of  the 
"  great  Teacher "  himself,  of  M'hom  ministers  may 
truly  and  reverently  say,  "  He  hath  left  us  an  ex- 
ample that  we  should  follow  his  steps." 

Mr.  West  does  "  the  work  of  the  ministry  "  out 
of  the  pulpit  as  well  as  m  it.  Not  so  much  as  a 
pastor,  v  isiting  from  house  to  house ;  in  tliat  re- 
spect he  has  superiors,  though  Avhen  affliction  has 
entered  a  family  he  is  always  ready  to  visit  and 
sympathize  with  them.  But  he  has  a  sphere  of 
pastoral  duty  in  which  he  is  exceedingly  useful, 
and  which  is  in  very  few  instances  attended  to  as 
it  ought  to  be — the  oversight  and  instruction  of 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEVA.V  PREACHERS.  313 

young  people.  It  is  the  custom  \dt\\  many  of  the 
English  Wesleyan  preachers  to  have  a  meeting  of 
all  the  young  people,  whose  parents  are  either 
members  or  hearers,  every  Saturday  afternoon,  in 
the  body  of  the  chapel,  when  they  are  catechized, 
and  counseled,  and  prayed  with  ;  and  any  who,  not 
being  members  of  the  society,  appear  to  be  under 
serious  impressions,  are  gently  led  into  the  fold  of 
Christ.  The  work  is  praiseworthy,  requiring  more 
care,  and  study,  and  tact,  than  at  first  sight  might 
seem  necessary,  but  which,  when  efficiently  per- 
formed, is  of  incalculable  benefit  to  the  yoimg  peo- 
ple themselves,  and  secures  to  the  church  the  con- 
tinued accession  of  stable  members,  who,  being  in- 
telligently grounded  in  the  faith  and  discipline,  re- 
main as  pillars  in  God's  house,  and  perpetuate  its 
blessings  to  future  generations.  How  many  young 
people  are  lost  to  Methodism,  and,  what  is  im- 
speakably  more  disastrous,  lost  to  the  church  of 
Chiist,  for  lack  of  this  pastoral  care  and  oversight! 
Sunday  schools  do  a  great  and  important  Avork, 
but  they  relieve  neither  the  parent  nor  the  pastor 
fiom  responsibihty  in  this  matter.  Yoimg  people 
can  readily  appreciate  the  diflerence  between  the 
routine  of  religious  instruction  in  a  sabbath  school, 
and  that  less  fonnal  counsel  and  direction  which 
spring  from  parental  or  pastoral  solicitude.  Avail- 
ing himself  of  this  intuitive  perception  in  youthful 
minds,  Mr.  West  willingly  co-operates  in  any  move- 
ment of  the  kind.  But  he  also  assumes,  in  eveiy 
cuxuit,  a  still  higher  duty  toward  the  young  men 


814        SKETCHES  OK  WESLEVAN  PKEACHEK8. 

of  the  society.  These  he  forms  into  one  or  more 
classes,  as  their  numbers  may  render  expedient, 
and  carefully  instructs  them  in  the  things  which 
promote  man's  highest  interests.  The  more  intel- 
ligent, and  those  whose  opportunities  for  acquiring 
information  have  been  Uberal,  he  generally  forms 
into  one  large  class,  meeting  them  once  a  week,  or 
fortnightly,  and  instructing  them  in  moral  philoso- 
phy and  theology.  He  has  wrought  much  and 
permanent  good  in  this  way.  At  Leeds,  and  Man- 
chester, and  Hahfax,  are  a  "  cloud  of  witnesses  "  to 
the  utihty  of  his  plans — men  of  intelligence  and  in- 
fluence in  the  church,  to  whose  pursuits  he  first 
gave  a  bias  worthy  of  Christians,  and  who,  master- 
ing the  first  principles  of  morals  and  theological 
science  under  his  judicious  counsels,  have  continued 
to  increase  "  in  knowledge  and  in  all  judgment." 
A  class  in  Manchester  read  through  with  him — 
giving  proof  as  they  proceeded  that  they  under- 
stood what  they  read — Paley's  Works,  Butler's 
Analogy,  and  the  Epistles  to  the  Romans  and 
Hebrews.  It  will  be  evident  to  every  one  familiar 
with  study,  that  the  eftect  of  such  a  course  of  read- 
ing must  be  of  the  most  healthful  and  invigorating 
character,  while  the  incidental  knowledge  obtained 
would  be  of  vast  utility  in  all  future  reading. 
Some  of  these  meetings  were  held  at  five  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  and  others  in  the  evening. 

The  gentleman  of  whom  we  write  does  not  shine 
much  as  a  platform  speaker,  unless  it  be  in  an 
opening  speech.    As  a  general  rule  he  lacks  ima- 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  315 

gination,  fire,  impetuosity,  and  the  gift  of  declama- 
tion, which  are  important  quahfications  for  a  plat- 
form speaker.  He  is  too  didactic.  Nevertheless, 
I  have  heard  him  make  several  good  missionary 
speeches ;  one  I  remember,  a  highly  finished  and 
masterly  production,  on  the  sublimity  of  the  mis- 
sionary enterprise  as  contrasted  with  all  other 
things  which  men  are  accustomed  to  call  sublime. 

But  there  is  a  sphere  of  connectional  labor  in 
which  he  especially  shines.  He  is  an  excellent 
committee  man,  and  has  a  wonderful  aptitude  for 
business.  He  is  shrewd,  cool,  and  far-sighted,  and 
can  see  a  defect  in  a  prudential  scheme  as  quickly 
as  he  can  detect  a  fallacy  m  an  argument.  He  is 
yearly  placed  upon  several  of  the  standing  commit- 
tees of  the  Conference,  upon  whom  devolve  much 
of  the  general  business  of  the  connection  between 
the  annual  sessions  of  that  body.  In  the  Mmutes 
for  1847  his  name  appears  as  one  of  the  general 
book  committee ;  as  general  secretaiy  of  the  gen- 
eral chapel  fxmd,  which  office  he  has  held  many 
years  ;  as  one  of  the  committee  of  distribution  for 
that  fimd  ;  as  re-appointed  secretary-  of  the  chapel 
relief  centenary  fund,  and  ex  officio  one  of  its  mem- 
bers, in  which  capacity  he  has  rendered  most  es- 
sential service  to  the  connection  ;  as  member  of  the 
chapel-building  committee ;  of  the  local  committee 
for  the  management  of  the  northern  branch  of  the 
Wesleyan  Theological  Institution ;  as  one  of  several 
specially  appointed  to  meet  the  education  commit- 
tee prior  to  the  next  Conference ;  and  as  member 


816        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

of  a  special  committee  on  the  state  of  the  connec- 
tional  funds. 

He  is  known  as  the  author  of  several  sermons 
and  tracts  ;  of  a  brief  Memoir  of  Jonathan  Saville, 
■which  has  been  reprinted  in  this  coimtry,  and  has 
passed  to  a  third  edition  in  England  ;  and  of  a  very 
interesting  and  admirable  Memoir  of  Mrs.  Cfihson, 
which  has  also  reached  a  third  edition. 

Mr.  West  must  be  now  between  forty-five  and 
fifty  years  of  age.  He  is  about  five  feet  seven 
inches  in  height,  of  spare  frame,  intellectual  coun- 
tenance, complexion  inclining  to  sallow,  forehead 
finely  developed  and  sunnounted  by  thin,  but  by 
no  means  scanty,  locks  of  jet  black,  glossy  hair. 
The  expression  of  the  face  is  full  of  character,  in 
repose  inclining  to  sternness,  but  when  animated 
decidedly  pleasing.  The  eye  is  a  striking  feature, 
large,  full,  and  very  clear;  not  fiery  or  sparkling, 
nor  even  quick  in  its  motions,  but  remarkable  for  its 
searching  power.  The  gentleman  is  guiltless  of 
whiskers,  which  gives  to  him  a  younger  appear- 
ance than  he  is  entitled  to.  The  lackadaisical  por- 
trait published  in  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  Maga- 
zine some  yeai-s  ago,  with  the  name  of  Mr.  West 
underneath  it,  is  a  burlesque.  A  more  faithful 
likeness  is  given  in  Duval's  painting  of  the  Cen- 
tenary meeting  in  Manchester,  engravings  of  which 
have  reached  this  country,  but  that  does  not  do 
him  justice,  for  it  makes  the  features — the  entire 
head — too  large  and  heavy. 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.       31 1 


irUUam  !DaiD0on. 

"  A  man  resolved  and  steady  to  his  trust. 
Inflexible  to  iU  and  obstinately  just." — Watti. 
"  Sloth,  the  nurse  of  vices, 
And  rust  of  action,  is  a  stranger  to  you." 

The  Wesleyan  Methodists,  more  than  any  other  de- 
nomination, make  systematic  use  of  lay  preachers. 
Many  of  these  are  men  of  superior  talents,  and  of 
great  usefulness ;  some  of  them  have  attained  to 
extensive  and  almost  universal  popularity,  even 
beyond  the  precincts  of  the  Methodist  Church,  not- 
withstanding they  have  fixed  residences,  and  are 
engaged  in  secular  avocations.  Mr.  Dawson  was 
one  of  these.  Like  the  early  apostles,  he  "la- 
bored, working  with  his  own  hands,"  and  was  de- 
pendent upon  his  daily  toil  for  the  bread  which 
perisheth.  Yet  he  labored  diligently,  and  with 
extraordinary  acceptance  and  success  in  the  min- 
istry of  the  word  of  reconciliation.  The  demand 
for  Mr.  Dawson's  public  services  was  veiy  great, 
and  whatever  he  could  accomplish,  with  a  due 
regard  to  his  temporal  duties,  from  which  he 
did  not  consider  that  his  call  released  him,  he 
was  ever  AviUing  to  perform ;  and  with  his  ad- 
mirable system  of  economy  of  tune — in  which  re- 
spect he  resembled,  in  a  remarkable  degree,  the 
founder  of  Methodism — he  was  able  to  accomplish 
about  a  hundred  journeys  every  year.  His  labors 
were  confined  principally,  but  not  exclusively  by 


318        SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS. 

any  means,  to  the  northern  and  western  counties 
of  England,  where,  in  the  teeming  city  and  quiet 
village,  in  cathedral-like  chapels  and  in  bams,  and 
in  the  open  air,  Mr.  Dawson,  alias  "  Billy  Daw- 
son," alias  "The  Yorkshire  Farmer,"  zealously 
preached  the  glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed  God, 
and  was  instrumental  in  making  hundreds  wise 
imto  salvation. 

I  first  heard  Mr.  Dawson  from  the  pulpit  in  the 
year  1828.  His  apparel  and  demeanor  struck  me 
as  unclerical.  True,  he  wore  a  black  coat  and 
vest,  and  a  white  neck-cloth,  an  article  of  dress  to 
which  English  clergymen,  of  all  denominations, 
I'igidly  adhere ;  but  his  lower  extremities  were 
encased  in  a  pair  of  drab  breeches,  and  he  wore 
what  are  technically  called  "  top-boots,"  such  as 
are,  or  were  at  that  time,  universally  worn  in 
England  by  substantial  farmers  as  a  part  of  their 
Sunday  or  market-day  attire.  He  crossed  the 
floor  of  the  chapel,  on  his  way  to  the  pulpit,  with 
a  rolling  gait,  as  though  he  were  traversing  a 
ploughed  field,  with  a  hand  in  each  pocket  of  his 
"drabs,"  half-whistling,  half-himiming  the  air  of  a 
good  old  Methodist  tune.  Of  this  he  was  appa- 
rently tmconscious,  for  his  eyes  were  turned  down- 
ward in  a  reverie,  and  he  seemed  shut  in  from  all 
suiTounding  objects.  In  all  my  subsequent  know- 
ledge of  Mr.  Dawson,  I  never  saw  a  repetition  of 
the  mood  ;  nevertheless,  a  slight  prejudice  was 
excited,  in  the  mind  of  at  least  one  in  the  congre- 
gation, which  his  peculiar  style  of  prayer  was  not 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  319 

calculated  to  remove.  No  one  who  knew  him 
would  doubt  that  his  was  the  sincere  prayer  of  the 
heart ;  that  he  approached  the  throne  of  dinne 
grace  with  a  full  connction  of  the  solemnity  of  the 
employment ;  that  he  personally  realized  the  obli- 
gation of  the  creature  to  the  Creator — the  depen- 
dence of  the  suppliant  upon  the  goodness  and 
mercy  of  God  ;  and  that  he  felt  the  yearning 
of  the  saint  for  communion  with  the  Saviour. 
Still  there  was  undeniably  something  in  the  man- 
ner of  his  approach  to  God  in  public  prayer,  which 
bore  the  appearance  of  irreverence,  and  was  offen- 
sive to  good  taste.  This,  however,  was  only  in 
the  manner  of  the  petitioner  ;  it  was  but  one  of 
those  channels  through  which  his  eccentric  genius 
meandered,  and  it  is  not  improbable  that  a  consci- 
entious effort  to  restrain  its  eccentricities  made 
them  more  apparent, — ^just  as  the  excessive  curb- 
ing of  a  high-mettled  horse  only  ruins  its  paces 
and  destroys  the  beauty  of  its  action. 

The  -wTiter,  while  subsequently  resident  at  Leeds, 
in  Yorkshire,  had  frequent  opportunities  of  hearing 
Mr.  Dawson  preach,  and  of  observing  him  in  the 
almost  daily  routine  of  private  life.  No  farmer  at- 
tending the  Leeds  market  had  a  higher  reputation 
for  commercial  integrity  than  Mr.  Dawson.  His 
"  word  was  ever  as  good  as  his  bond  ;"  whether 
he  bought  or  sold,  his  representations  were  never 
doubted.  Even  worldly  men  regarded  him  as  one 
who  was  "  inflexible  to  ill,  and  obstinately  just." 
Perhaps  this  is  the  best  place  to  say,  that,  although 


320        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


a  bachelor,  Mr.  Dawson  had  others  dependent  upon 
him  for  support,  especially  a  nephew,  who  was  in- 
competent to  provide  for  himseK.  For  the  sake 
of  this  young  man,  he  refused  more  than  one  open- 
ing in  life  congenial  to  his  tastes,  and  promising 
great  social  and  pecuniary  advantages.  Moreover, 
at  one  time  the  farm  he  tenanted  was  understood 
to  be  a  losing  concern;  and  he  was,  for  a  long 
season,  compelled  to  make  great  exertions,  and 
exercise  a  rigid  economy,  to  preserve  his  honor 
untainted  before  the  world.  Offers  of  pecuniar}^ 
assistance  were  liberally  made  to  him  by  the  few 
friends  who  were  aware  of  liis  trials,  and  who  well 
knew  his  high  principles ;  but  his  independent 
spirit  declined  the  proffered  aid,  and  prompted  him 
to  rely  vipon  his  own  energies.  Amid  all  this  com- 
parative adversity,  he  continued  the  zealous  pro- 
secution of  his  ministry,  preaching  generally  twice, 
sometimes  three  times,  on  the  sabbath,  without  fee 
or  reward.  Not  a  sixpence  did  he  ever  receive 
beyond  his  travehng  expenses  ;  and  when  from  any 
unforeseen  contingency  the  collection  has  been 
smaller  than  was  anticipated,  he  evinced  the  great- 
est pain,  at  leaving,  to  receiving  even  these.  His 
ministerial  labors  were  eminently  disinterested. 

Circumstances  led  to  a  personal  acquaintance 
with  Mr.  Dawson ;  and  as  the  writer's  place  of 
business  was  near  the  corn-market,  Mr.  Dawson 
would  generally  call  in  for  five  minutes'  chat.  It 
was  characteristic  of  the  man,  that  if,  on  entering, 
he  saw  that  I  was  occupied  with  others,  he  would 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  321 

immediately  retire,  merely  greeting  me  by  a  dart 
of  his  eye,  for  that  idea  best  conveys  the  peculiar, 
rapid,  concentrated  flash  of  meaning,  which  was 
ever  and  anon  emitted  from  that  ^vindow  of  his 
soul.  Knowing  the  value  of  time,  and  how  un- 
profitable were  interruptions  to  a  man  engaged  in 
business,  he  did  unto  others  as  he  would  they 
should  do  unto  him,  and  was  the  last  man  in  the 
world  of  whom  his  friends  could  complain  that  he 
trenched  upon  their  time  or  interrupted  them  in 
their  business  avocations.  In  frequent  joumeyings 
between  Leeds  and  Manchester  we  also  often  met, 
and  many  were  the  pleasant  conversations  I  had 
■with  him  in  those  "good  old  days"  of  stage-coach 
traveling.  He  was  an  agreeable  companion,  and 
where  he  could  converse  without  restraint,  would 
add  greatly  to  the  interest  of  his  remarks  by  the 
narration  of  various  incidents  connected  ^ith  his 
pulpit  services.  Once,  as  we  were  passing  through 
one  of  the  numerous  \'illages  thickly  scattered  in 
the  manufacturing  districts  aroimd  Huddersfield 
and  Dewsbury,  he  pointed  out  the  Wesleyan 
Chapel,  and  related  a  circumstance  connected  with 
it,  which,  as  it  aptly  illustrates  the  manner  and 
effects  of  his  preaching,  may  be  properly  repeated 
here. 

Mr.  Dawson  was  dehvering  a  discourse  pecu- 
liarly suited  to  his  genius ;  one  that  will  be  long 
remembered  in  many  towns  and  villages  of  Eng- 
land. It  was  generally  known  to  be  one  of  his 
favorite  sermons,  and  passed  vmder  the  title  of 

21 


322        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


"  Death  on  the  pale  horse."  As  the  reader  will 
suppose,  it  was  founded  upon  Revelation  ri,  1,  8. 
It  was  a  discourse  of  a  startling  and  impressive 
character.  In  bold  and  striking  imagery,  in  power- 
ful, thrilling,  irresistible  appeal,  it  was  unsurpassed 
by  any  sermon  I  have  ever  listened  to.  When  the 
preacher  was  happy  in  its  delivery,  the  congrega- 
tion seemed  to  suspend  their  very  breathing  in  the 
intensity  of  their  attention,  and,  in  the  pauses  of  the 
preacher's  voice,  a  long  and  deep  inspiration  was 
resorted  to  as  a  relief.  On  the  occasion  refeiTed 
to,  Mr.  Dawson  was  indulging  in  that  pecuharly 
vivid  imagery,  which  was  at  the  basis  of  his  popu- 
larity, and  exclaimed,  "  '  Come  and  see  !'  the  sinner 
is  in  the  broad  road  to  ruin — every  step  takes  him 
nearer  to  hell  and  further  from  heaven.  Onward, 
onward  he  is  going — death  and  hell  are  after  him 
— quickly,  untiringly,  they  pursue  him — with  swift 
but  noiseless  hoof  the  pale  horse  and  his  paler 
rider  are  tracking  the  godless  wretch.  See  !  see  ! 
they  are  getting  nearer  to  him — they  are  over- 
taking him  !"  At  this  moment  the  stillness  of  the 
congregation  was  so  complete,  that  the  ticking  of 
the  clock  could  be  distinctly  heard  in  eveiy  part 
of  the  chapel.  Upon  this,  with  a  facility  peculiarly 
his  own,  he  promptly  seized,  and  without  seeming 
interruption.  Leaning  over  the  pulpit  in  the  attitude 
of  attention,  and  fixing  his  keen  eye  upon  those 
who  sat  immediately  before  him,  he  continued,  in 
an  almost  supernatural  whisper,  "  Hark  !  hark  ! — 
that  swift  rider  is  coming,  and  judgment  is  follow- 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAK  PREACHERS.  323 

ing  him.  That  is  his  untiring  footstep  !  Hark !" — 
and  then  imitating,  for  a  moment  or  two,  the  beat 
of  the  pendulum,  he  exclaimed  in  the  highest  pitch 
of  his  voice,  "  Lord !  save  the  sinner ;  save  him ! 
Death  is  upon  him,  and  hell  follows.  See,  the  bony 
arm  is  raised !  The  fatal  dart  is  poised !  O  my 
God  !  save  him — save  him — for  if  death  strikes 
him  he  falls,  and  hell  receives  him,  and  as  he 
falls,  he  shrieks,  '  Lost !  lost !  lost  !  Time  lost ! 
sabbaths  lost !  means  lost !  soul  lost !  heaven  lost ! 
ALL  LOST,  and  lost  for  ever  !'  "  The  effect  was  so 
overwhelming,  that  two  of  the  congregation  fainted, 
and  it  required  all  the  preacher's  tact  and  self- 
command  to  ride  through  the  storm  which  his 
o'wn  vivid  imagination  and  powerful  appeal  had 
aroused. 

Perhaps  somewhat  apocryphal,  yet  generally  re- 
ceived as  true,  is  a  story  of  his  preaching  at  Pud- 
sey,  a  ■Nillage  inhabited  by  woolen  cloth  weavers, 
some  five  or  six  miles  from  Leeds,  from  the  history 
of  David  slaying  Goliah.  He  was  indulging  freely 
in  the  pictorial  representation  of  which  he  was  so 
perfect  a  master.  Personating  Da^•id,  he  had  struck 
down  the  boasting  Philistine,  and,  stepping  back  in 
the  pulpit,  he  cast  his  eye  downward  and  com- 
menced a  strain  of  irony,  which  had  the  twofold 
effect  of  rebuking  every  one  that  exalted  himself 
against  the  Lord,  and  of  adding  force  to  the  gra- 
phic picture  he  had  already  given  of  the  conflict. 
So  powerfully  did  the  speaker  depict  the  conquer- 
or's emotion,  so  rapidly  and  continuously  did  he 


324        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

heap  taunt  upon  taunt  on  his  prostrate  foe,  that 
the  congregation  seemed  to  lose  sight  of  the  actual 
state  of  things  in  the  ideal,  and  waited  in  breath- 
less suspense  for  the  catastrophe.  Some  in  the 
gallery,  in  the  intensity  of  the  excitement,  leaned 
forward,  as  though  they  expected  to  see,  upon  the 
floor  of  the  piilpit,  the  prostrate  giant  with  the 
striphng's  foot  upon  his  breast ;  and  one  person, 
carried  away  by  his  feelings,  and  imable  longer  to 
bear  the  suspense,  exclaimed,  in  the  broad  dialect 
of  the  county,  "  Off  with  his  head,  Billy."  This 
interruption  moved  Mr.  Dawson  for  a  moment  from 
his  propriety,  otherwise  it  Avould  scarcely  have 
been  noticed  by  the  congregation,  so  obhvious  were 
they  of  outward  things  in  their  rapt  attention  to 
the  preacher.  I  have  no  doubt  of  the  truth  of 
the  anecdote,  havmg  myself  seen  and  felt  similar 
excitement  under  the  same  sermon ;  and  have  a 
strong  impression  also  that  Mr.  Dawson  acknow- 
ledged its  truth  in  my  hearing,  coupled  with  the 
remark  that  he  ever  after  refused  applications  to 
preach  at  Pudsey,  for  prudential  reasons.  He 
feared  that  his  vivid  fancy  would  recall  the  cir- 
cumstance, with  such  concomitants  as  would  dis- 
turb his  gravity. 

Such  was  the  command  which  Mr.  Dawson  held 
over  his  congregation  when  in  his  happiest  mood, 
that  instances  of  equal  excitement  were  not  rare, 
though  they  did  not  equally  result  in  such  marked 
demonstration.  His  sermons,  though  sometimes 
crude,  always  presented  bold,  original,  startling, 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


325 


and  oftentimes  beaiitiful  ideas.  The  impression 
made  upon  the  hearer  was,  tliat  the  preacher  was 
more  indebted  to  the  \agor  of  his  genius  than  to 
the  extent  of  his  reading,  and  that  all  liis  matter 
was  hewn  out  of  the  quarry  of  his  own  mind.  He 
was  an  extemporaneous,  and  it  might  be  added,  to 
a  great  extent,  an  impromptu  preacher,  though  a 
new  thought,  or  even  a  felicitous  expression  seized 
upon  during  the  deli\'ery  of  a  discourse,  was  almost 
sure  to  be  incorporated  in  the  same  sermon  on  a 
future  occasion.  It  was  amusing,  to  one  familiar 
with  the  art  of  public  speaking,  to  observe  how 
perse veringly  he  would  sometimes  chase  a  new 
idea,  started  under  the  inspiration  of  the  moment, 
or  suggested  by  some  collocation  of  words,  or  other 
accidental  circumstance.  Uttering  several  sen- 
tences of  the  most  common-place  character,  so  as 
to  leave  his  mind  free  for  the  pursuit,  he  would 
struggle  after  the  idea  which,  perhaps  as  yet 
"  without  form  and  void,"  gleamed  before  him. 
For  a  few  brief  moments  those  who  did  not  know 
him,  or  who  did  not  surmise  his  purpose,  would 
be  distressed  at  his  seeming  embarrassment,  and 
be  apprehensive  of  a  "break  down,"  when  suddenly 
making  a  vigorous  spring,  he  would  seize  the  ob- 
ject of  his  pursuit,  liis  eye  flashing  with  triumph, 
and  rapidly  molding  the  truant  thought  into  the 
most  forcible  form  of  expression,  would  make  it 
flash  upon  the  congregation  in  a  perfect  blaze  of 
light.  This  peculiarity  was  sometimes  indulged  in 
during  public  prayer.    I  remember  an  instance 


326        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

which  will  fully  illustrate  my  meaning.  Mr.  Daw- 
son was  acknowledging  the  di\ine  goodness,  and 
quoted  the  passage,  "  Thou  hast  crowned  my  head 
with  loving  kindness  and  tender  mercies."  His 
imagination  took  fire  at  the  metaphor,  and  present- 
ed before  him  a  regal  coronet,  studded  with  nu- 
merous gems,  having  a  centre-stone  of  surpassmg 
magnitude,  brilliancy,  and  value.  Consentaneously 
this  became  the  "crown"  of  "  loving  kindness  and 
tender  mercies."  The  countless  brilliants  repre- 
sented the  blessings  of  Providence  and  grace,  and 
the  centre-stone,  the  "  priceless  gem  of  salvation." 
To  express  this  as  he  wished  was  more  difficult 
than  to  conceive  it ;  and  several  feeble  sentences 
were  uttered  before  this  "crown"  was  shown  to 
the  people.  But  when,  at  length,  it  was  exhibited 
in  all  its  radiant  glory,  with  its  centre-gem  of 
purest  lustre,  the  "  deep  cmwsow  hue  "  of  which  was 
caught  up  and  reflected  in  a  thousand  lights  by 
the  precious  stones  which  clustered  aroimd  it,  the 
"  saints  of  the  Most  High  shouted  aloud  for  joy." 

There  was  great  inequahty  in  Mr.  Dawson's 
preaching,  and  when  he  failed,  it  was  generally  by 
going  a  step  beyond  the  subhme.  Mr.  Everett  men- 
tions some  instances.  I  could  enumerate  others. 
One  in  particular  just  occtirs  to  me.  A  few  years 
before  his  death  he  was  somewhat  hea^'y  and  bulky 
in  appearance,  and  wore  a  dark  brown  wig,  which 
he  was  in  the  habit  of  frequently  adjusting  with 
both  his  hands.  He  was  preaching  on  a  sabbath 
evening  to  a  crowded  congregation  in  Brunswick 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  327 

Chapel,  Leeds.  The  interior  of  the  chapel  is  oval, 
the  organ  and  orchestra  being  behind  the  pulpit, 
which  is  a  capacious  mahogany  structure,  isolated, 
standing  a  little  forward  from  the  orchestra,  and  is 
ascended  by  a  circular  stair.  Mr.  Dawson  was 
preaching  from,  "  Behold  I  stand  at  the  door  and 
knock"  and  after  a  powerful  delineation  of  the 
methods  by  which  the  Holy  Spirit  appeals  to  the 
heart  of  the  sinner  with  overtures  of  mercy,  and 
the  rejection  of  those  oflers  by  the  impenitent,  he 
approached  the  climax  of  his  subject — that  the 
Holy  Ghost  might  at  that  hour  be  "  knocking  at 
the  door  for  the  last  time."  Fearful  was  the 
picture  Avhich  he  drew  of  the  condition  of  the  man 
who  was  "in  such  a  case."  Then  suddenly  paus- 
ing, and  personating  the  third  person  in  the  Trinity, 
he  rapped  with  his  knuckles  first  upon  the  open, 
then  upon  the  closed  Bible,  the  significance  of 
which  the  reader  will  appreciate,  accompanying 
each  with  an  appeal  in  the  first  person  for  admis- 
sion to  the  sinner's  heart.  Assuming  that  the 
sinner  was  immovable  in  his  refusal,  and  still  pre- 
serving the  personation,  Mr.  Dawson  turned  away 
from  the  front  of  the  pulpit,  and  walked  slowly 
toward  the  door,  (through  which  he  passed  to  the 
furthest  verge  of  the  platform,  at  the  top  of  the 
stairs,)  repeating,  "  Because  I  Imve  called"  &c.,  and 
kindred  passages  and  sentiments  in  atone  of  passion- 
ate regret.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  intense  solemnity 
and  feeling  which  his  previous  remarks  had  inspired, 
the  effect  would  have  been  most  disastrous,  and 


328        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


even  with  those  advantages,  it  was  impossible  to 
prevent  the  rising  of  an  unpleasant  feeling  as  the 
hearer  contemplated  the  personation  of  the  divine 
Spirit,  and  that,  sooth  to  say,  by  one  whose  im- 
ethereal  form  threw  a  Aisible  burlesque  upon  the 
movement.  And  then,  too,  there  was  the  difficulty 
of  retiu-ning  after  a  last  appeal,  which  could  only 
be  accomplished  at  the  expense  of  consistency. 

Errors  of  this  sort,  however,  were  but  the  ex- 
ceptions to  Mr.  Dawson's  general  success  ;  and 
even  these  were  redeemed  by  the  immistateable 
evidences  Avhich  his  ministry  always  afforded  of 
the  presence  and  power  of  God.  Nor  was  the 
wondrous  effect  of  his  preaching  transient  only. 
Wliile  he  might,  as  a  preacher,  be  justly  called  a 
revivalist,  yet  his  ministry  was  not  so  much  re- 
markable for  awakening  a  general  excitement  as  it 
was  for  producing  individual  convictmi.  His  bold 
and  \'i\'id  imagery  alarmed  the  conscience ;  and 
then  by  some  sudden  stroke  of  genius  he  would 
set  before  the  sinner  his  transgression  in  so  strong 
a  light,  that  the  poor  rebel  felt  his  peril  and  knew 
no  rest  until  he  had  made  his  peace  with  God. 

Injustice  would  be  done  to  Mr.  Dawson,  were  I 
to  omit  saying,  that  on  all  doctrinal  points,  as  held 
by  the  Wesleyan  Methodists,  he  Avas  not  only 
perfectly  orthodox,  but  always  declared  those 
doctrines  with  great  clearness  and  force.  I  shall 
ever  remember  a  sermon  which  he  preached  in 
Irwell-street  Chapel,  Salford,  (Manchester,)  on  the 
atonement  of  Christ,  in  which  that  cardinal  truth 


SKETCHES  OP  WESLETAX  PREACHERS.  329 

in  all  its  fullness  and  sufficiency  was  set  forth  with 
remarkable  perspicuity.  And  this  was  not  done 
by  labored  and  protracted  argument,  but  by  the 
flashes  of  light  which  his  genius  poured  upon  the 
subject,  and  which  at  once  both  enhghtened  and 
convinced  the  understanding  of  the  hearer. 

In  the  evening  of  the  same  day  I  heard  from 
him  a  sermon  which  was  equally  a  favorable  spe- 
cimen of  his  powerful  appeals  to  sinners.  He  re- 
presented the  sinner  as  forging  a  chain,  link  by 
link,  as  he  committed  sin  after  sin  ;  in  vain  his 
friends  warned  him  that  this  chain  was  to  be 
heated  red  hot  and  wrapped  roimd  his  body,  and 
to  be  kept  there  day  after  day,  week  after  week, 
month  after  month ;  he  still  went  on  forging  it, 
and  taking  pleasure  in  so  doing.  Raising  his 
voice,  and  increasing  it  in  volume  with  every  sen- 
tence, Mr.  Dawson  exclauned,  "  Sinner,  thou  art 
that  man  !  and  at  the  day  of  judgment  that  chain 
shall  be  drawn,  at  white  heat,  out  of  the  flames  of 
hell,  and  shall  be  wrapped  roimd,  and  round,  and 
ROUND,  (raising  his  voice  at  each  repetition,)  thy 
writhing  body ;  burning  into  thy  wretched  soul 
imtil  long  before  the  cod  is  exhausted  its  weight 
shall  sink  thee  under  the  surface  of  that  burning 
lake  for  ever  and  for  ever !"  Agam,  he  repre- 
sented the  sumer  as  made  fast  to  one  end  of  a 
chain  coiled  round  a  windlass  placed  over  the 
mouth  of  a  deep  pit,  with  a  hea\-j^  weight  attached 
to  the  other  end.  The  windlass  was  set  in  mo- 
tion, "  the  weight  increasing  in  velocity  on  its  way 


330        SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS. 

downward,  the  man  drawing  nearer  and  nearer  to 
the  mouth  of  the  pit — tlie  weight  becoming  still 
more  and  more  rapid  in  its  motion — the  preacher 
shouting  out  as  the  head  seemed  to  be  whirling 
with  the  machinery — '  He  is  going  ! — he  is  going ! 
— there  is  no  stopping  him : — he  is  nearer — 
nearer — the  final  step  is  taken — he  dashes  over, 
disappears — and  the  splash  startles  the  very 
devils !'  "  Never  shall  I  forget  the  thrill  of  horror 
that  pervaded  the  congregation ;  the  effect,  which 
cannot  be  conceived  without  a  knowledge  of  the 
man  and  his  manner  of  delivering  such  passages, 
was  beyond  anything  I  ever  before  experienced. 
The  imagery,  which  of  course  was  more  fully 
wrought  out,  was  terrific.  The  "weight"  was  the 
accumulated  transgressions  of  the  sinner;  the 
"chain"  the  perfections  of  the  divine  character  all 
harmonizing  in  the  destruction  of  the  impenitent ; 
and  the  "windlass,"  the  constant  revolution  of 
time,  to  which  "  Stop"  might  be  cried  in  vain. 
The  reverse  of  the  picture,  and  its  application  to 
believers,  was  equally  effective. 

I  have  alluded  to  the  difficulty  of  conveying  a 
just  idea  of  Mr.  Dawson's  manner  in  his  most  im- 
passioned moments.  I  have  before  me  reports  of 
two  of  his  sermons,  published  in  the  (London) 
Pulpit,  from  the  notes  of  stenographic  reporters, 
employed  for  the  purpose ;  one  on  Gal.  vi,  Y,  8 : 
"  Be  not  deceived,  God  is  not  mocked  ;  for  whatso- 
ever," &c.,  &c. ;  the  other  on  Matt,  xvi,  26,  27: 
"For  what  is  a  man  profited,"  &c.    I  have  heard 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS.  331 

both  sermons,  and  should  scarcely  have  recog- 
nized the  former  in  print,  the  reporter,  perhaps 
■with  the  best  intention,  ha\'ing  reduced  the  dis- 
coiirse  to  what  he  conceived  was  good  taste,  and 
given  to  the  world  a  very  common-place  sermon, 
with  scarcely  a  distinguishable  trait  of  the  preacher 
about  it.  In  the  latter,  which  was  one  of  Mr. 
Dawson's  best  sermons,  the  reporter  has  performed 
his  task  too  literally,  copying  the  colloquialisms 
and  small  talk  of  the  sermon,  but  failing  to  com- 
municate the  tnae  sublimity  which  marked  many 
of  its  passages. 

I  suppose  that  as  a  preacher  Mr.  Dawson  never 
appeared  so  great  as  when  he  preached  the  fune- 
ral sermon  of  the  late  Rev.  Da^ad  Stoner,  whom 
he  loved  as  David  loved  Jonathan,  and  venerated 
for  his  piety  and  usefulness.  As  the  occasion 
led  him  to  sketch  the  character  of  his  deceased 
friend,  he  seemed  to  catch  the  falling  mantle,  and, 
inspired  by  his  theme,  was  led  even  beyond  him- 
self, and  rose  to  the  highest  elevation  of  over- 
powering eloquence.  The  occasion  will  be  re- 
membered to  the  latest  hour  of  the  last  surviving 
hearer,  and  the  full  fruit  will  only  be  gathered 
when  hiiman  instrvmientality  shall  have  completed 
its  mission.  Many  were  quickened  into  a  hoher 
zeal  for  the  salvation  of  their  fellow-men,  and  the 
constantly  widening  influence  of  their  increased 
devotion  will  be  perpetuated  through  all  time.  A 
sketch  of  the  concluding  remarks  on  that  memo- 
rable occasion  may  be  found  m  Mr.  Everett's  Me- 


332        SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS. 

moir  of  Stoner,  to  which  I  must  refer  the  reader. 
Mr.  E.  mentions  that  the  preacher's  inquiry,  "Is 
there  no  yoimg  man  in  this  congregation  willing  to 
take  up  the  fallen  trumpet  ?"  entered  the  soul  of  one 
lovely  youth,  Samuel  Entwisle,  a  son  of  the  Rev. 
Joseph  Entwisle,  who  had  for  some  time  been  un- 
der the  impression  that  God  required  him  to  enter 
the  ministry.  I  may  add  that  had  that  young 
man's  life  been  spared,  he  would  have  been  an  or- 
nament to  the  Wesleyan  ministry.  I  knew  him 
long  before  he  entered  upon  that  work,  for  we 
were  residents  for  some  years  of  my  youth  in  the 
same  town,  worshiped  in  the  same  sanctuary, 
and  frequently  spent  more  or  less  time  together. 
He  long  entertained  the  conviction  that  he  was 
called  of  God  to  the  work  of  the  ministry, 
and  was  only  deterred  from  obeying  "  the  heavenly 
vision"  by  his  overwhelming  sense  of  the  respon- 
sibility resting  upon  the  ministerial  character  and 
office,  and  a  fear  lest  he  should  unworthily 
discharge  the  duties.  He  was  naturally,  too,  of  a 
retiring  disposition,  which  doubtless  had  its  influ- 
ence in  causing  him  to  shrink  from  so  pubUc  a  vo- 
cation ;  and  thus  from  a  fear  of  nmning  before  he 
was  sent,  he  brought  darkness  upon  his  soul,  and 
recovered  his  lost  ground  only  by  strong  cries  and 
tears  in  secret  before  the  Lord.  If  Mr.  Dawson 
wrought  no  other  good  effect  than  that  of  working 
decision  in  the  mind  of  Mr.  Entwisle,  his  labor  had 
indeed  not  been  in  vain  in  the  Lord.  This  one 
fruit  was  strong  evidence  of  the  natural  force  and 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  333 

spiritual  unction  that  attended  Mr.  Dawson's  minis- 
try, for  Mr.  Entwistle,  though  young,  Avas  almost 
the  last  man  to  be  moved  by  mere  declamation, 
or  appeal  in  the  absence  of  terse  and  cogent  ar- 
gument. 

If  Mr.  Dawson  is  to  be  seen  in  all  his  great- 
ness, he  must  be  viewed  in  yet  other  aspects — as 
a  platform  speaker,  as  a  member  of  the  social  cir- 
cle, and  in  the  ordinary  routine  of  his  busy  Ufe. 
His  popularity  as  a  platform  speaker  equaled  his 
popularity  as  a  preacher.  His  speeches  had  each 
a  distinctive  topic — he  seldom  generaUzed — and 
each  had  its  popular  name.  There  was  his  "  Re- 
form bill"  speech,  which,  by  the  way,  I  do  not 
remember  to  have  heard,  and  only  know  by 
repute,  which  gave  it  a  high  character  for 
originahty  and  effectiveness;  and  his  "Railway" 
speech,  for  which  he  was  most  severely  handled 
in  the  editorial  columns  of  the  Morning  Herald 
newspaper,  where  he  was  charged  with  the 
grossest  irreverence  and  kindred  crimes.  It  is 
charitable  to  suppose  that  they  knew  not  the 
man,  and  could  not  appreciate  his  genius,  or  his 
talents — that  in  truth  they  "understood  neither 
what  they  said,  nor  whereof  they  affirmed."  Mr. 
Dawson  always  readily  seized  upon  any  passing 
and  exciting  topic,  and  turned  it  to  good  account ; 
and  when  the  subject  of  railways  engrossed  general 
attention  he  made  it  pay  tribute  to  his  platform 
labors.  The  track  was  the  world,  the  train  was 
the  gospel,  the  chief  director  was  Jesus  Christ,  and 


334        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

SO  forth.  The  speech  was  very  popular,  but  it 
cannot  be  denied  that  in  some  points  it  bordered 
closely  upon  burlesque,  and  it  was  only  by  his 
skillful  management  that  the  engine  was  saved 
from  "  running  off  the  track."  Then  there  were 
his  "  Clock "  speech,  in  which  every  wheel,  and 
spring,  and  screw,  was  emblematical  of  some  part 
of  the  missionary  agency  ;  and  the  "  Sower,"  and 
the  "  Telescope"  speech,  through  which  he  would 
survey  the  world,  and  on  entering  upon  each 
branch  of  his  subject,  would  elevate  his  half- 
clenched  hand  to  his  eye,  as  we  do  when  looking 
from  a  distance  into  the  depths  and  details  of  a  pic- 
ture, and  exclaim,  "And  then,  sir,  when  Hook  again 
through  my  telescope,  what  do  I  see  ?"  and  thus 
would  enter  upon  the  survey  of  each  new  field. 
And  then  there  was  his  "  Miser,"  and,  best  of  all, 
his  "  Harvest  home."  That  was  the  speech.  In 
it  he  never  failed.  Upon  that  subject  he  was  per- 
fectl}^  at  home.  The  genius  of  the  man  was  en- 
riched by  the  experience  gained  from  his  daily  oc- 
cupation. The  ingenuity  displayed  in  the  con- 
struction of  the  speech  was  only  equaled  by  the 
copious  and  beautiful  illustrations  which  clustered 
around  every  point ;  and  the  effect  was  invariably 
the  diffusion  of  a  holy  joy  throughout  the  audience, 
which  not  only  produced  a  beneficial  result  in  the 
matter  of  the  collection,  but  left  the  savor  of  a 
heavenly  influence  upon  the  heart,  the  fruit  of 
which  was  often  seen  after  many  days. 

Before  I  leave  Mr.  Dawson's  public  character, 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  335 

I  may  just  advert  to  his  occasional  introductoiy 
remarks  on  the  hymns  which  he  selected.  The 
English  preachers  always  "  line  "  their  hymns,  the 
congregation  singing  each  two  lines  as  they  are 
given  out  from  the  pulpit.  The  plan  has  some 
advantages.  The  congregation  always  stand  up 
when  they  sing  the  praises  of  God,  neither  do  they 
allow  the  choir  to  monopolize  that  delightful  em- 
plojTiient.  The  minister  would  feel  jealous  over 
his  people  with  a  godly  jealousy,  if  in  any  part  of 
divine  worship  they  could  silently  sit,  and  hsten 
to  a  display  of  choral  singing.  I  do  not  mean  to 
say  that  the  congregation  always  sing  as  heartily 
as  is  desirable.  In  seasons  of  spiritual  apathy  and 
general  lukewarmness — for  the  extent  to  which  the 
congregation  unite  in  the  vocal  praises  of  God  is  a 
sort  of  barometer  of  their  spiritual  state — the 
people  are  apt  to  be  equally  apathetic  in  the  mat- 
ter of  public  singing ;  and  it  was  on  such  occasions 
that  Mr.  Dawson  would  avail  him-self  of  the  oppor- 
tunity presented  by  "hning"  the  hymns,  to  in- 
troduce some  remark  calculated  to  arouse  theu- 
dormant  affections,  and  excite  them  to  more  fervent 
devotion.  Thus,  on  one  occasion,  he  had  selected 
the  hymn  commencing, — 

"  Jesus,  thy  blood  and  righteousness 
My  beauty  are,  my  glorious  dress." 

Before  gi>'ing  out  the  last  verse,  he  briefly  ob- 
served, that  he  had  often  been  struck  with  the 
beauty  of  the  communion  service  of  the  Church  of 
England,  where  the  priest  says,  "Lift  up  your 


336 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


hearts,"  and  the  people  respond,  "We  hft  them 
up  unto  the  Lord  ;"  the  exhortation  and  l  esponse 
being  repeated,  the  priest  concludes  with,  "  It  is 
very  meet,  right,  and  our  bounden  duty,  that  we 
should  at  all  times  and  m  all  places  give  thanks 
unto  thee,  0  Lord,  holy  Father,  almighty  and  ever- 
lasting God."  Then  suddenly  glancmg  his  eye 
around  the  chapel,  he  exclaimed,  in  an  elevated 
tone  of  voice,  "  '  Lift  up  your  hearts,'  yea,  and  let 
the  whole  congregation  repeat,  '  We  lift  them  up 
unto  the  Lord,'  "  instantly  annoimcing, 

"  Thou  God  of  power,  thou  God  of  love, 
Let  the  whole  world  thy  mercy  prove  ; 
Now  let  thy  word  o'er  all  prevail, 
Now  take  the  spoils  of  death  and  hell." 

The  power  of  sound  was  immediately  quadrupled 
— the  flame  of  devotion  caught,  and  spread,  and 
glowed  during  the  whole  of  the  service. 

On  another  occasion,  after  he  had  given  out,  and 
the  congregation  had  sung, 

"  True,  'tis  a  strait  and  thorny  road, 
And  mortal  spirits  tire  and  faint ;" 

he  inquired,  "  Why  do  they  tire  ?  Is  it  because 
the  road  is  strait  and  thorny  ?  No — 

'  But  they  forget  the  mighty  God, 
That  feeds  the  strength  of  every  saint.'  " 

Thus,  as  Mr.  Everett  observes,  on  this  instance, 
"  gliding  into  the  succeeding  lines  without  suffer- 
ing the  congregation  to  feel  any  interruption  by 
the  break,  while  he  furnished  them  with  a  subject 
for  reflection,  showing  them  that  they  should  '  smg 
with  the  understanding.'  " 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS. 


337 


In  the  social  circle  Mr.  Dawson  was  always 
cheerful,  even  to  playfulness,  and  always  instructive  ; 
his  remarks  were  distinguished  by  much  shrewd- 
ness, and  were  indicative  of  a  close  observation  of 
men  and  things.  He  was  very  happy  in  extricating 
himself,  when  sometimes  placed  in  an  awkward 
position  by  the  questionings  of  injudicious  or 
thoughtless  friends.  On  one  occasion,  being  asked 
his  opinion  of  a  preacher,  from  whose  sermons  little 
could  be  extracted  for  home  meditation,  he 
promptly  replied,  "I  eat  what  I  can,  but  pocket 
nothing."  An  instance  of  his  happy  manner  of 
administering  reproof,  and  taking  the  scales  off  a 
man's  eyes,  occurs  to  me.  Some  one  was  com- 
plaining to  him  that  he  could  get  no  good  at  the 
revival  meetings  ;  that  he  went  up  into  the  gallery, 
and  looked  do-wn  upon  the  people,  and  the  sight 
of  so  much  disorder  neutralized  the  good  effects 
of  the  sermon.  "  Ah,"  said  Mr.  Dawson,  "  you 
moimted  to  the  top  of  the  house,  and  on  looking 
down  your  neighbor's  chimney  to  see  what  kind 
of  a  fire  he  kept,  the  smoke  got  into  your  eyes 
and  blinded  you.  Had  you  entered  the  room  by 
the  door,  and  mingled  with  the  family  around  the 
hearth,  you  would  have  enjoyed  the  benefit  of  the 
fire  as  well  as  they.  Sir,  you  have  got  the  smoke 
in  your  eyes." 

I  have  said  that  Mr.  Dawson  was  a  local  preacher, 
though,  as  he  himself  facetiously  observed,  he  was 
a  "TRAVELING  local  preacher."  It  may  not,  per- 
haps, be  generallv  known,  that  in  the  year  1802 

■22 


338        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

he  was  proposed  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Barber,  to  the 
quarterly  meeting  at  Leeds,  for  the  itinerancy, 
imanimously  approved,  accepted  by  the  follo-\ving 
conference,  and  his  name  put  down  for  Wetherby, 
Yorkshire,  in  comiection  with  Rev.  Robert  Filter. 
Some  circumstances,  of  a  temporal  character,  which, 
he  feared,  would  affect  his  aged  mother's  interests 
and  mar  her  comforts,  eventually  induced  him  to 
remain  at  home.  Within  two  or  three  years  of  his 
death  a  niunber  of  friends,  in  order  to  relieve  him 
of  his  daily  toil,  and  secure  the  full  benefit  of  his 
services  to  the  connection,  started  a  project  by 
which  they  hoped  to  raise  a  fund,  the  interest  of 
Avhich  sliould  support  him  during  his  life  and  pass 
to  Ills  nephew,  in  case  he  survived  Mr.  Dawson ; 
the  principal  to  revert  to  the  Wesleyan  Missionary 
Society  at  the  expiration  of  the  two  lives.  Un- 
fortunately the  managers  of  the  project  decided  to 
hmit  each  individual  subscription,  or  any  amount  of 
money  would  have  been  subscribed  in  a  few  days : 
with  this  limitation,  the  scheme  partially  failed. 

Mr.  Dawson  was  a  bachelor.  He  made  more 
than  one  "  offer  "  of  marriage  when  in  his  maturer 
years.  In  each  case  the  lady  selected  was  highly 
intellectual,  and  of  most  refined  manners,  and  pro- 
bably the  proposal  was  more  the  result  of  mental, 
intellectual  admiration,  than  of  any  softer  emotion. 
In  each  case,  too,  the  lady  was  distinguished  for 
fervent,  but  enlightened  piety.  His  not  proposing 
to  others  of  lower  capacitj',  attainments,  and  piety, 
was  highly  creditable  to  him.    For  an  account  of 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  339 

his  sudden,  but  peaceful  death,  the  reader  is  re- 
ferred to  the  published  accounts. 

Of  his  personal  appearance  I  have  said  but  little. 
I  cannot  do  better  than  close  this  sketch  by  adopt- 
ing Mr.  Everett's  portrait,  for  it  is  "  verj-  like :" 
"  It  was  that  of  a  man — a  man  in  the  most  manly 
sense  of  the  term.  He  was  strong  of  bone, 
muscular,  well-built,  well-rounded,  proportionate, 
standing  about  fi\  e  feet  nine  inches,  had  hair  of  a 
deep  auburn,  and  a  complexion  approaching  the 
embrowned  rather  than  the  dark.  His  eye  of  a 
lightish  gray,  with  a  dark  pupil,  was  round,  keen, 
full  of  fire,  and  well  set  in  the  head,  mounted  with 
overhanging  eyebrows.  Tlie  face,  too,  was  roimd, 
somewhat  full ;  the  ears  small,  thick,  and  closely 
attached  to  the  head ;  a  good  mouth,  with  a  some- 
what biting  expression,  similar  to  what  is  found  in 
some  of  the  portraits  of  Sir  Walter  Scott ;  and  an 
excellent  forehead,  covered  in  later  Hfe  with  false 
hair,  ill  adapted  to  the  head,  and  overhanging  the 
fine  sinciput  like  an  ea\  e  of  thatch.  The  features 
might  be  pronounced  regular,  but  expressive,  in- 
cUning  to  the  fierce,  on  the  eye  being  fixed — full 
of  meaning,  and  conveying  the  impression  of  thought 
— that  thought  which  is  brilliant,  active,  and  pene- 
trating, which  only  himself  could  seize,  and  which 
others  could  neither  tame  nor  break." 


340        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


"  Then  dress'd  by  thee,  more  amiably  far, 
Truth  the  soft  robe  of  mild  persuasion  wears  ; 
Thou  to  assenting  reason  giv'st  again 
Her  own  enlighten'd  thoughts." — Thomson. 

The  Rev.  John  Anderson  finished  his  course  -vvith 
joy  in  1840,  having  labored  nearly  twenty-nine 
years  in  the  itinerancy,  and  being  at  the  time  of  his 
decease  about  fifty  years,  of  age.  He  was  a  man 
of  warm  and  sanguine  temperament,  of  a  tender, 
susceptible  spirit,  ardent  in  his  friendships,  fervent 
in  piety,  and  zealously  devoted  to  tlie  duties  of  his 
sacred  calling.  In  person  he  was  tall,  little,  if  any, 
less  than  six  feet,  of  active  frame,  light  complexion, 
florid  countenance,  with  an  unusual  gathering  of 
wrinkles  about  the  mouth,  which  gave  to  the  face 
an  expression  of  bold  daring,  and  almost  reck- 
lessness of  consequences  when  consciously  right, 
in  keeping,  to  a  considerable  degree,  with  the 
real  character  of  the  man.  When  combined  with 
the  smile  which,  when  in  social  converse,  would 
often  spread  over  his  over-varying  features — and 
especially  when  the  face  was  illuminated  with  the 
radiance  of  holy  joy  while  proclaiming  the  glorious 
gospel  of  the  blessed  God — the  expression  became 
modified  into  noble  self-reliance,  which  was  indeed 
a  prominent  feature  in  our  subject's  character.  He 
was  undaunted  in  the  performance  of  duty, 

"  Bold  to  take  up,  firm  to  sustain. 
The  consecrated  cross." 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEVAN"  PREACHERS.  341 


My  acquaintance  with  him  commenced  some  nine 
years  prior  to  his  death,  when  he  was  superintend- 
ent of  the  Leeds  East  circuit,  where  he  labored 
with  great  zeal  and  fervor,  and  proportionate  ac- 
ceptabiUty.  He  was  then  approaching  the  zenith 
of  his  popularity,  to  the  consummation  of  which  the 
following  cu-cumstance  contributed  not  a  Uttle.  It 
was  the  time  when  the  people  of  England  were 
universally  excited  upon  the  question  of  slavery, 
and  a  simultaneous  movement  was  made  for  its 
abohtion.  A  large  meeting  upon  the  subject  was 
held  in  the  "  Cloth  Hall  Yard  " — the  area  of  an  im- 
mense three-sided  building,  Avhere  the  countiy 
manufacturers  exposed  their  woolen  cloths  for  sale, 
and  which — the  sides  of  the  lofty  building  (five 
stories  high)  confining  the  sound — was  admirably 
adapted  for  such  pm-poses.  Some  of  the  most 
prominent  clergy  and  laymen  of  the  town  and  sur- 
roimding  countrj'  were  engaged  in  the  movement, 
and  many  of  them  were  speakers  on  this  occasion. 
Lord  Brougham  (then  Mr.)  was  present  by  special 
invitation,  and  I  think  also  Mr.  Thomas  B.  Macaulay. 
Mr.  Anderson  was  one  of  the  speakers.  It  was  an 
occasion  peculiarly  fitted  to  call  out  all  his  powers. 
He  always  spoke  with  great  animation — he  could 
not  do  otherwise  on  any  subject  in  which  his  feel- 
ings were  interested — and  had  a  voice  of  astonish- 
ing compass,  especially  when  there  was  no  impedi- 
ment to  its  full  exertion.  The  spaciousness  of  the 
area,  the  immensity  of  the  audience,  and  the  fact 
that  the  meeting,  being  out  of  doors  and  on  secular 


342       SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

ground,  required  none  of  the  restraints  which  he 
would  have  deemed  obUgatory  in  a  place  dedicated 
to  divine  worship,  all  favored  oiu-  subject  as  a  pub- 
lic speaker.  Albeit  few  men  were  so  enthusiasti- 
cally patriotic  as  he ;  England  was  to  him  what 
the  holy  city  was  to  the  ancient  Jews ;  and  he  be- 
lieved his  country's  welfare  and  glory  involved  in 
the  question  about  to  be  discussed.  When  called 
upon  by  the  chairman,  he  stepped  buoyantly  to  the 
front  of  the  stage,  his  intelligent  features  glovdng 
with  enthusiasm.  Looking  round  upon  the  vast 
audience  with  deep  feeling,  he  commenced,  and 
continued  for  upward  of  an  hour  and  a  half,  a  strain 
of  impassioned  eloquence,  argument,  and  declama- 
tion blended,  which  was  Ustened  to  with  unbi'oken, 
attentive  silence,  save  the  repeated  bursts  of  ap- 
plause, which  seemed  each  time  to  rouse  the 
speaker  to  even  greater  effort.  He  was  followed 
by  Mr.  Brougham,  to  whom  until  then  Mr.  Ander- 
son Avas  unknoAVTi,  who  passed  high  and  well-de- 
served encomiums  upon  the  speech,  and  pronounced 
it  the  most  eloquent  and  masterly  he  had  heard 
upon  the  stirring  subject  which  had  elicited  it.  Of 
course  this  contributed  to  make  Mr.  Anderson  more 
widely  known  and  appreciated  among  other  deno- 
minations as  well  as  the  Wesieyan  Methodists. 

As  a  platform  speaker  Mr.  Anderson  was  always 
eflScient.  In  thought  and  feeling  he  was  naturally 
impetuous,  and  when  carried  away  by  his  strong 
emotions  was  sometimes  rather  diffuse.  Of  this  he 
was  perhaps  conscious,  and  often  in  preaching  was 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  843 

wont  to  restrain  himself  and  kihor  at  condensation 
and  terseness.  On  the  platform  he  hampered 
himself  with  no  such  shackles,  but  gave  free  utter- 
ance to  his  gushing  feeUngs.  He  luxuriated  in  the 
•ss-ide  range  of  topics  which  his  warm  heart  sug- 
gested, ranging  at  will  wherever  there  were  flowers 
to  be  culled  or  fi-uits  to  be  plucked ;  dashing  from 
one  part  of  the  field  to  another,  without  regard  to 
"line  and  rule;"  and  throwing  riches  of  unageiy 
around  him  with  prodigal  profusion.  Here  his  ex- 
cursive fancy  found  its  most  exquisite  enjojTnent ; 
his  wann,  benevolent  sj-mpathies,  a  legitimate  ob- 
ject for  their  fullest  exercise ;  and  here  he  kindled 
fires  which  no  waters  could  quench.  The  magni- 
tude of  the  object  aimed  at  was  proportioned  to 
the  might  and  compass  of  his  ever  actiA'e  faith, 
which  expanded  as  the  teeming  millions  of  his  fel- 
low-men passed  in  review  before  him,  and  he  beheld 
them  as  souls  for  whom  Christ  had  died.  Never 
will  tlie  ^Titer  forget  some  of  his  more  impassioned 
outbursts  while  dwelling  on  the  theme  of  the 
world's  conversion  to  God  through  the  agency  of 
his  church,  and  the  glory  that  should  follow  ;  with 
not  an  inexpressive  eye  in  the  vast  audience,  some 
gleaming  with  holy  triumph,  and  others  wet  with 
tears  ;  and  many  of  God's  people  lifting  up  the  joy- 
impelled  shout  of  "  glory"  and  "hallelujah."  0  ! 
those  icere  missionary  meetings,  worthy  of  the 
name  and  object ;  seasons  of  mingled  triumph  and 
hope,  and  earnest  desire  to  aid  in  the  speedy  pro- 
gress and  consummation  of  the  Redeemer's  con- 


844        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEFAN  PREACHERS. 

quests,  and  productive  no  less  of  substantial  gifts 
for  the  cause  of  missions  than  of  earnest,  heartfelt 
prayers  for  its  success.  No  need  was  there,  on 
those  occasions,  of  other  stimulus  than  the  warm 
glow  of  holy  gratitude  and  Christian  zeal  caught 
from  the  speaker's  lips.  No  necessity  then  for 
offering  life -memberships  at  auction,  or  for  gi^nng 
publicity  to  each  donation.  Such  proceedings 
would,  as  they  must  ever,  sooner  or  later, 
damp  the  hallowed  enthusiasm  enkindled  by  the 
liearty  and  heartfelt  addresses  of  the  speakers. 
The  people  gave  "  what  they  could,"  without  un- 
due solicitation,  rivalry,  or  ostentation,  and  went 
down  to  their  houses  rejoicing  that  of  their  own 
volition  they  had  paid  tribute  unto  God.  Or  if, 
stifling  their  convictions  of  duty,  they  had  restrain- 
ed their  hands,  no  extraneous  influence  did  further 
harden  by  its  fiigid  touch  the  emotions  awakened, 
or  deter  the  people  from  again  presenting  them- 
selves when  the  season  for  the  renewal  of  the  ad- 
vocacy came  round  ;  so  that  they  were  liable  to  be 
again  brought  under  the  same  influence  with  better 
results.  It  cannot  be  denied  that  the  large  and 
yearly  increasing  funds,  placed  at  the  disposal  of 
the  Wesleyan  Missionary  Society,  arc  an  unanswer- 
able argument  in  behalf  of  the  plan  pursued  by 
the  British  Wesleyans.  If  it  be  objected  that  in 
this  country  the  people  are  to  blame — that  they 
will  have  it  so — that  they  need  such  adventitious 
incentives  to  liberality  in  such  a  cause,  we  deny 
the  imputation,  and  fearlessly  assert  that  the  fault 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  346 

lies  elsewhere.  We  have  heard  the  murmurs  of 
the  audience  during  the  hour  thus  spent,  and  their 
expression  of  disapprobation  such  as  we  care  not 
to  repeat,  but  which  evinced  an  ahenation  of  inte- 
rest and  affection  for  the  cause  which,  if  they  be- 
come general,  must  eventually  dry  up  the  fovm- 
tains  of  benevolence,  and  turn  the  streams  of  bene- 
ficence in  other  directions. 

But  to  return  to  Mr.  Anderson.  He  was  often 
peculiarly  happy  in  the  introduction  of  a  verse  of  a 
hjnim  in  his  platform  addresses,  as  also  in  his  pulpit 
discourses.  Some  of  liis  finest  bm'sts  of  over- 
powering eloquence  reached  their  climax  in  such  a 
quotation,  uttered  with  intensest  feeling,  leaving  an 
impression  wliich  no  time  could  efface.  As  a 
preacher  he  varied,  and,  though  perhaps  alone  in 
tlie  opinion,  I  always  thought  him  most  profitable 
at  seasons  when  slightly  depressed  by  personal  in- 
disposition or  mental  suffering.  When  in  the  full 
buoyancy  of  animal  spirits,  his  physical  energies 
and  impulsive  nature  were  apt  to  assume  the  mas- 
tery over  his  intellectual  powers,  and  he  could  not 
keep  his  impetuousness  under  control ;  rather  he 
seemed  even  to  indulge  it  at  the  expense  of  con- 
densed and  consecutive  thought — as  though  the 
rider  partook  of  the  temper  of  his  steed,  and  throw- 
ing the  reins  upon  its  neck,  allowed  it  to  leap  the 
fence  and  course  the  meadows  as  it  fisted,  himself 
participating  in  the  exhilaration  and  the  wayward- 
ness of  its  evolutions.  At  such  times  a  man  had 
need  of  a  good  memory,  and  must  call  into  exer- 


346        SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS. 

cise  his  utmost  mnemotechnic  skill,  in  order  to  pre- 
serve the  thread  of  thought.  Sentence  would  be 
involved  within  sentence,  parenthesis  within  paren- 
thesis, producing  in  the  mind  of  the  ordinary  hearer 
something  approaching  to  confusion,  and  to  some 
extent  diminishmg  the  interest  which  the  preach- 
er's eloquence  and  earnestness  tended  to  awaken. 
But  when  there  was  less  of  this  buoyancy  and 
physical  impetuosity,  his  sermons  were  peculiarly 
impressive  and  profitable,  imbued  with  a  tender- 
ness which  almost  imperceptibly  stole  over  the 
minds  of  the  audience  and  made  them  \villing  re- 
cipients of  the  truth  of  God.  Then  his  discourses 
dropped  fatness  upon  the  soul.  He  was  a  sovmd 
divine,  thoroughly  impregnated  Avith  the  theology 
of  Wesleyan  Methodism,  and  experimentally  versed 
in  the  deep  things  of  God.  At  such  times  evi- 
dences of  his  communion  with  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  of  his  own  native  tendei'ness  of  heart,  shone 
through  almost  every  sentence,  with  the  additional 
charm  of  refined  delicacy  of  sentiment  and  often 
poetic  grandeur  of  diction. 

The  following  incident  is  related  in  a  memoir 
of  Mr.  Anderson,  which  appeared  in  the  Methodist 
Magazine,  from  the  pen  of  his  son-in-law.  While 
attending  the  Conference  of  1838,  held  in  Bristol, 
he  had  to  preach  in  one  of  the  chapels  in  that  city. 
Many  of  his  brethren  were  present.  He  chose  for 
his  subject  the  prevalence  of  believing  prayer,  (a 
theme  on  which  he  loved  to  expatiate  in  private 
as  well  as  from  the  pulpit,)  and  after  having  dwelt 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS.  347 

upon  it  at  some  length  with  great  eloquence  and 
holy  ardor,  he  paused  as  though  about  to  conclude. 
But  so  entirely  -were  the  minds  of  his  auditory 
enchained  and  impressed,  so  carried  away  by  the 
intensity  of  their  feeUngs,  that  a  simiUtaneous  crj- 
of  "  Go  on  "  burst  from  all  parts  of  the  chapel  ; 
and  again  he  held  up  before  them  the  "wondrous 
power  of  faithfid  prayer." 

The  same  depth  of  emotion  observable  in  his 
preaching  was  often  shown  while  he  was  hstening 
to  others.  I  remember  one  occasion,  when  the 
Rev.  Peter  Duncan,  some  short  time  after  his  re- 
turn from  the  West  Indies,  (where  he  so  success- 
fully labored  as  a  missionary  imtil  driven  thence 
by  the  persecuting  spirit  of  the  planters,)  was 
preaching  in  Mr.  Anderson's  stead,  at  Bnmswick 
Chapel,  in  Leeds,  the  latter  sitting  behind  him  in 
the  pulpit.  The  text  was,  "And  without  contro- 
versy/, great  is  the  mystery  of  r/odliness :  God  was 
manifest  in  the  flesh,"  kc.  The  sermon  was  in 
every  part  full  of  the  genius  of  the  preacher,  whose 
whole  soul  was  absorbed  in  his  theme,  and  whose 
glowing  eloquence  riveted  the  rapt  attention  of 
his  audience  ;  Mr.  Anderson  himself  with  difficulty 
restraining  his  emotions  as  the  grand  subject  was 
gradually  imfolded.  Soon  the  teai-s  coursed  each 
other  down  his  cheeks,  and  his  eyes,  often  lifted 
upward,  told  the  deep  feehngs  of  his  heart.  But 
when  Mr.  Dimcan  took  up  the  sentence,  "  Believed 
on  in  the  world,'"  and  glanced  at  the  progress  of 
Christianity,   and   i-ecoimted  its  triumphs  over 


348       SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

all  opposition,  the  congregation  began  to  utter 
their  abounding  joy.  Mr.  Anderson  could  no  longer 
keep  silent,  and  shouted  with  deep  feeling,  "  Glory ! 
glory  !  Hallelujah !"  The  congregation  only  needed 
such  a  spark  to  make  the  smoldering  fire  burst 
into  a  flame  ;  his  joyous  exclamation  was  soon 
echoed  from  every  part  of  the  vast  building,  and 
for  a  moment  the  preacher  had  to  pause,  only,  how- 
ever, to  proceed  with  increased  earnestness  and 
power  in  the  exposition  of  his  text. 

It  may  here  be  mentioned,  to  Mr.  Anderson's 
honor,  that  no  petty  jealousy  ever  interfered  with 
his  feelings  toward  his  brethren.  This  was  a  fine 
trait  in  his  character.  In  1837  he  was  stationed 
in  the  Leeds  West  circuit,  and  for  some  time  was 
pained  to  see  so  Uttle  life  in  the  society,  and  such 
slow  progress  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom.  Never 
did  his  ministry  savor  more  of  the  closet,  and  of 
deep  meditation  over  the  sacred  page  ;  never  Avas 
he  more  zealous  and  abundant  in  labors,  watermg 
all  Avith  earnest  and  unceasing  prayer,  that,  upon 
the  people  to  whom  he  ministered, 

"  The  Lord  would  shortly  pour 
All  the  Spirit  of  his  love." 

In  September,  of  the  following  year,  the  Lord  of 
the  harvest  heard  the  cry,  and  rewarded  the  zeal 
of  his  servant.  A  gracious  revival  of  rehgion  broke 
out  in  the  circuit.  This  long-prayed-for  residt  was 
generally  attributed  to  the  labors  of  one  of  Mr. 
Anderson's  colleagues,  a  young  man  whose  minis- 
try has,  mdeed,  been  wonderfully  blessed,  in  the 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  349 

conviction  and  conversion  of  sinnere,  "  from  the 
beginning,  even  until  now."  The  subject  of  our 
sketch,  however,  not  only  showed  no  jealousy,  or 
ever  in  the  most  private  circles  evmced  the  slight- 
est sense  of  the  injustice  done  to  him ;  but  every- 
where bore  spontaneous  testimony  to  his  young 
colleague's  devoted  zeal,  ardent  piety,  and  minis- 
terial talents  and  faithfulness,  while,  toward  the 
young  man  himself,  he  acted  the  part  of  a  wise 
counselor,  an  affectionate  friend,  and  a  tender  fa- 
ther. The  Rev.  Wilham  M.  Bunting,  when  preach- 
ing Mr.  Anderson's  fimeral  sermon  at  Liverpool, 
bore  strong  testimony  to  this  phase  of  his  character. 

No  delineation  of  our  subject  as  a  preacher 
woidd  be  just  to  him  that  did  not  allude  to  the 
prominence  he  gave  in  all  his  sermons  (nor  less  so 
in  his  correspondence  and  private  conversation)  to 
Christ  and  him  crucified,  and  the  necessity  and 
efficacy  of  faith  in  his  blood.  "  He  was  '  mighty 
in  the  Scriptures ;'  he  was  eloquent  on  the  great 
themes  of  the  gospel.  The  fascinations  of  the  ora- 
tor (and  that  he  possessed  these,  was  admitted  by 
all)  were  mostly  lost  to  his  hearers  in  resistless 
sympathy  with  the  rapt  worshiper  and  witness  of 
Christ  crucified."  Fervent  piety  was  at  the  root 
of  all  his  preaching — the  motive  for  all  his  labors. 
He  had  no  panting  after  popular  favor  or  applause. 

I  have  intimated  that  Mr.  Anderson  appeared 
to  great  advantage  upon  the  platform  as  well  as 
in  the  pulpit.  There  were  other  services  in  which 
his  soul  took  delight — those  holy  festivals  common 


350        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS, 

to  all  Methodists,  and  those  pecuhar  to  the  British 
Wesleyan  societies.  Among  the  former  are  in- 
cluded class  meetings,  in  which  he  delighted  to 
participate  at  the  quarterly  visitations  ;  love-feasts> 
in  which,  when  he  conducted  them,  he  always 
spoke  freely  of  his  experience  ;  and  the  sacrament 
of  the  Lord's  supper,  which  was  to  him,  and  those 
to  whom  he  ministered,  always  a  season  of  hallowed 
enjoyment.  Few  men  administered  that  ordinance 
with  such  seeming  cognizance  of  and  participation  in 
its  true  spirit  and  character.  Among  the  latter 
are  the  old-fashioned  watch-night,  and  the  "  re- 
newal of  the  covenant." 

This  latter  is  held  on  the  afternoon  of  the  first 
Simday  in  the  new  year,  and  is  one  of  the  most 
impressive  means  of  grace  known  to  the  Wesleyan 
Church.  Mr.  Anderson  never  conducted  it  with- 
out evincing  a  high  estimate  of  its  solemn  and 
almost  awful  character.  I  have  been  present  at 
this  service  at  various  times,  led  by  such  men  as 
Revs.  Richard  Trefiry,  sen.,  Robert  Wood,  Peter 
M'Owan,  Francis  A.  West,  and  others,  when  it  was 
conducted  with  the  utmost  impressiveness  and 
propriety ;  but  our  present  subject  had  a  consti- 
tutional advantage  over  most  in  that,  while  he 
brought  to  the  performance  of  this  duty  equal 
dignity  and  solemnity,  there  was  in  his  nature  an 
affinity — amounting  to  a  poetico-rehgious  sympa- 
thy, if  such  an  expression  may  be  allowed — with 
the  emotional  grandeur  of  the  service,  which  im- 
pressed into  it,  in  an  unequaled  degree,  a  grateful. 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  351 

joyous  fervor.  I  would  fain  give  the  reader  some 
idea  of  the  natxire  of  this  service,  although  deeply- 
conscious  that  any  picture  will  fall  far  short  of  the 
imposing  original. 

It  has  already  been  said  that  this  service  is  held 
on  the  afternoon  of  the  first  sabbath  in  the  new 
year.  "Where,  as  in  the  large  places,  there  are 
two  or  more  town  chapels,  all  but  the  principal 
one  are  closed  at  the  hour  for  the  celebration  of 
this  sen-ice,  as  also  are  the  country  chapels  within 
a  moderate  distance,  so  that  the  members  of 
society,  for  they  alone  are  admitted,  may,  of  one 
accord,  and  in  one  j)lace,  assemble  to  pay 
their  vows  unto  the  Most  High,  and  renew  their 
covenant  with  the  God  of  Jacob.  Hence  the  chapel 
is  generally  crowded  to  its  utmost  capacity.  The 
preacher  commences  the  service  by  giving  out  the 
covenant  hymn, — 

"  Come,  let  us  use  the  grace  divine, 
And  all,  with  one  accord, 
In  a  perpetual  cov'nant  join 
Ourselves  to  Clirist  the  Lord  ;" 

which  is  sung  by  the  whole  congregation,  the  lift- 
ing up  of  whose  voice  is  as  the  sound  of  many 
waters.  Prayer  by  one  or  more  of  the  nainisters 
follows ;  and  a  brief  address,  pointing  out  the  duty 
and  responsibility  of  making  a  solemn  covenant 
•vvith  the  Almighty.  The  minister  who  conducts 
the  service  then  apprises  the  people  that  he  is 
about  to  read  a  form  of  covenant,  (Baxter's  is  imi- 
versally,  or  at  least  generally,  used,)  and  desires 
them,  preparatory  thereto,  well  to  weigh  and  con- 


352        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

sider  the  nature  and  extent  of  the  obligation  upon 
which  they  are  about  solemnly  to  enter ;  to  this  end 
he  advises  them  to  spend  a  few  moments  in  silent 
meditation  and  prayer,  and  closely  examine  them- 
selves whether  they  are  firmly  and  deUberately  set 
upon  this  entire  surrender  of  themselves  to  God. 
These  are  moments  of  deathhke  stillness,  of  close 
searchings  of  heart.  At  their  expiration,  the  mi- 
nister again  addresses  the  people,  and  invites  those 
who  have  well  weighed  the  import  and  conse- 
quences of  the  solemn  act,  and  have  in  their  hearts 
faithfully  resolved  by  divine  grace  to  pay  the  vows 
they  are  about  to  make,  and  only  these,  to  rise  to 
their  feet  in  signification  of  that  purpose.  It  is  an 
awful  moment — that  great  congregation  about  to 
enter  into  a  solemn  covenant,  each  for  himself,  with 
the  God  of  truth,  the  omnipresent,  omniscient,  im- 
mutable Jehovah,  and  their  Judge ;  to  be  his  faith- 
fully, unalterably,  for  time  and  for  eternity.  Truly 
may  it  then  be  said,  "Lo,  how  dreadful  is  this 
place."  You  may  almost  hear  the  pulsation  of 
the  hearts  of  those  around  you.  Yet  with  few  ex- 
ceptions the  vast  audience  slowly  rise,  for  few  will 
go  to  such  a  service  that  are  not  God's  people  at 
heart ;  the  occasion  is  all  too  aAvful  for  curiosity,  or 
hypocrisy,  or  half  heartedness,  to  intrude  itself. 
The  few  who  remain  sitting  are  not  less  sincere 
than  others,  but  they  distrust  themselves  and  trem- 
ble to  pass  the  threshold  of  Jehovah's  presence- 
chamber.  With  subdued  voice,  but  with  clear  and 
distinct  utterance,  the  minister  i-eads  the  whole  or 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYA>f  PREACHERS.  853 

principal  parts  of  the  covenant  vow,  until  he  comes 
to  the  words  of  dedication.  He  and  the  people 
then  kneel :  slowly  and  solemnly-  he  repeats  each 
sentence,  the  people  by  their  silence  acquiescing; 
then  again  all  is  still  for  a  few  moments ;  the  as- 
cription of  praise  is  uttered,  and  the  pent-up  feel- 
ings of  the  audience  find  expression  in  sobs  or  gen- 
tle breathings  of  holy  joy  and  thank6gi\'ing.  The 
covenant  is  made ;  the  seal  of  acceptance  is  given ; 
the  Lord  is  in  his  holy  temple,  sometimes  brooding 
over  his  people  and  infusing  into  their  hearts 

"  The  speechless  awe  that  dares  not  move, 
And  all  the  silent  heaven  of  love 

sometimes  consoling  them  with  inward  assurances 
of  peace,  and  guidance,  and  protection  ;  and  some- 
times sweeping  over  their  hearts  as  a  "  rushing 
mighty  wind,"  filling  the  place  with  his  glory,  and 
diffusing  through  eveiy  soul  such  an  indubitable 
sense  of  his  love  and  presence  that  the  people 
shout  aloud  for  joy.  Truly  the  covenant  ser™e 
as  held  among  the  English  Methodists  is,  beyond 
almost  everj-  other  means  of  grace,  a  time  when  the 
tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  he  doth  dwell 
among  them  and  is  their  God.* 

*  The  following  example  of  an  extraordinarily  gracious  influence 
accompanying  this  senice  is  related  in  tlie  Memoir  of  the  Rev 
James  Wood :— In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1788,  a  remarkable 
manifestation  of  grace  and  mercy  was  experienced  at  the  renewal 
of  the  covenant.  It  was,  indeed,  a  time  to  be  remembered.  "  Never 
in  my  life,"  says  Mr.  Wood,  "  had  I  seen  so  much  evidence  of  the 
divine  influence,  on  such  an  occasion.  After  having  read  the  '  Di- 
rections for  renewing  our  covenant  with  God,'  I  advised  the  people 
seriously  and  deeply  to  consider  the  importance  of  the  solemn  en- 
gagement they  were  about  to  make  ;  and.  that  they  might  not  do  it 


354        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


In  1833  Mr.  Anderson  was  stationed  in  one  of 
the  Manchester  circuits.  What  was  known  as  the 
"  Warrenite  distm-bance  "  took  place  while  he  was 
there,  and  his  spirit  was  sorely  tried.  He  was  in- 
trepid in  the  exercise  of  disciphne  and  the  main- 
tenance of  the  Wesleyan  economy,  although  fierce- 
ly and  bitterly  assailed  and  maligned  for  so  doing. 
His  last  circuit  was  the  Liverpool  North,  where  he 
yielded  up  his  life,  after  some  months  of  acutest 
bodily  suffering,  but  of  patient  continuance  in  well 
doing,  and  finally  of  triumphant  joy  in  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

rashly,  I  proposed  giving  them  a  few  moments  for  consideration  and 
prayer.   During  the  time  of  silence,  (which  at  the  most,  I  apprehend, 

did  not  exceed  five  minutes,)  the  goodness  of  the  Lord  was  made 
known  to  nearly  aU  present ;  and  I  afterward  heard  of  seven  persons 
who,  in  that  short  mterval,  found  either  the  pardoning  or  the  perfect 
love  of  God."  One  eminent  saint  who  was  present,  the  late  Miss 
Mary  Unwin,  thus  describes  her  own  feelings  on  that  memorable 
occasion : — "  My  body  could  scarcely  stand  under  the  weight  of  glory 
that  rested  upon  me.  My  spirit  cried  out,  'Glory  be  to  God  the 
Father!  Glory  be  to  God  the  Son!  Glory  be  to  God  the  Holy 
Ghost  I  Every  power  of  my  sonl  united  to  call  upon  all  the  heavenly 
host  to  strike  their  golden  harps  and  assist  my  mighty  joys.  My 
soul  was  so  fiUed  with  God,  and  so  near  to  heaven,  as  made  me 
say, — 

'  My  sotil  its  change  shall  scarcely  know, 
Made  perfect  first  in  love.' 
Such  a  season  had  never  been  known,  even  by  the  oldest  member 
of  the  society.   The  recollection  of  it  is  still  delightful  and  refresh- 
ing to  the  very  few  who  are  yet  alive ." 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  355 


tDUliam  iU.  Bunting. 

"  Mild  in  his  undissembling  mien, 
Arc  genius,  candor,  meekness,  seen, 
—And  lips  that  love  the  truth."— Montgomery. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  has  more  than  once 
been  incidentally  named  in  this  volume.  He  is  the 
oldest  son  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Banting,  whom,  how- 
ever, he  does  not  resemble  either  in  physical  or 
mental  organization.  He  is  tall  and  thin,  of  deli- 
cate, almost  sickly,  appearance,  and  far  from  being 
of  a  robust  constitution,  with  a  fine  benevolent 
countenance,  a  noble  head,  and  a  full  massive  fore- 
head, bare  of  hair  to  a  considerable  elevation. 
From  his  appearance  no  one  would  think  him  ca- 
pable of  performing  the  arduous  labors  of  a  Wes- 
leyan  itinerant  preacher ;  at  times,  indeed,  it  seems 
scarcely  probable  that  he  can  survive  a  change  of 
seasons  ;  and  more  than  once  he  has  been  regarded 
as  one  going  down  to  the  tomb  by  gradual  but 
certain  advances.  Still  he  labors  -with  occasional 
inteiTuptions,  having  some  advantages  over  his 
brethren,  in  that  he  manied  a  lady  of  great  wealth, 
and  can  afford  to  keep  his  own  carriage — a  sort  of 
one  horse  chaise,  which  affords  a  shelter  from  in- 
clement or  varying  weather,  and  is  a  less  fatiguing 
mode  of  itinerating  than  either  pedestrianism  or 
equestriani.sm. 

Mr.  Bunting  uses  his  wealth,  as  a  Christian  should 
do,  in  helping  the  poor  and  needy,  without  osten- 


356        SKETCHES  OF  M  ESLEVAX  PREACHERS. 

tation.  It  has  engendered  no  pride  or  vain-glory. 
He  holds  it  as  a  steward  of  God.  Numerous 
instances  might  be  named,  illustrative  of  his  be- 
nevolence and  Christian  charity,  which  have  only 
become  known  through  the  grateful  outgivings  of 
those  who  have  been  recipients  of  his  generosity 
and  care.  With  much  about  him  that,  to  a  stranger, 
would  seem  to  indicate  another  spirit,  he  delights 
to  visit  the  widow  and  the  fatherless  in  their  af- 
fliction ;  to  sit  by  the  bedside  of  the  humblest 
saint,  and  converse,  as  with  an  equal,  upon  the 
things  that  appertain  to  the  kingdom  of  God  :  cha- 
racter weighs  with  him  more  than  circumstances  ; 
and  while  enjoying  meeklj'  the  advantages  which 
wealth  affords,  he  never  assumes  the  exclusiveness 
or  superiority  which  too  often  distinguishes  those, 
even  in  the  church  of  God,  who  are  rich  in  this 
world's  goods.  "  What  have  I  that  I  have  not 
received  ?"  seems  to  be  the  rule  of  his  conduct  in 
this  matter.  If  on  his  journeys  to  or  from  his 
country  appointments  he  overtakes  one  whom  he 
knows  to  be  a  member  of  society,  one  whose  good 
sense  and  piety  will  make  his  company  agreeable 
and  profitable,  he  will  rein  up  his  horse,  take  him 
into  his  caniage,  and  set  him  down  at  his  humble 
door,  even  though  it  be  somewhat  out  of  his  way. 
He  once,  in  this  way,  ovei-took  a  good  man,  whom 
I  knew,  who  was  trudging  home  from  Manchester 
to  his  cottage,  some  three  miles  distant,  and  some 
half  mile  out  of  Mr.  Bunting's  road,  who  was  going 
to  his  residence  at  Cheetham  Hill.  "  Halloo,  ," 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAK  PREACHERS.  357 

he  called  out,  "  jump  in,  and  I  '11  take  you  round 
home ;  I  want  to  hear  how  you  're  getting  on." 
The  good  man  hesitated,  and  pleaded  that  he  was 
in  his  working  clothes,  (fee.  "  Yes,"  said  Mr.  B., 
or  something  to  tliis  effect,  "  I  saw  that  before  I 
asked  you  ;  so  am  I,  and  the  same  Providence  cut 
out  the  work  for  both  of  \xs.  Come,  jump  in." 
The  good  man  obeyed,  and  they  were  soon  talking 
of  Jesus,  until  their  hearts  bui-ned  within  them  by 
the  way.  And  many  of  these  httle  indications  of 
a  "right  spirit"  were  accompanied  with  more 
substantial  tokens  of  sympathy  and  brotherly 
love. 

These,  however,  are  traits  of  Mr.  William  Bunt- 
ing's private  character  rather  than  his  public,  and 
would  scarcely  have  been  introduced  here,  but  as 
showing  what  lies  at  the  basis  of,  and  is  the  rule 
of  interpretation  for,  much  of  his  more  apparent 
and  tangible  characteristics,  the  most  prominent  of 
which  is  a  lofty  independence  which  will  brook  no 
shackles  upon  freedom  of  thought,  speecli,  or  con- 
duct. It  cannot  be  said  that  his  judgment  is  not 
sometimes  at  fault — he  lacks  his  father's  almost 
unapproachable  greatness  in  this  respect — but  he  is 
eminently  conscientious,  and  what  he  conceives  is 
right  he  will  do  at  all  hazards  ;  what  he  thinks 
ought  to  be  said  he  will  say,  let  who  will  frown  or 
take  umbrage.  Possibly  he  carries  his  independ- 
ence too  far,  so  that  it  seems  to  border  on  boldness 
or  stubbornness  ;  but  no  one  can  help  admiring  his 
manly  bearing,  and  the  frank,  open,  honest  spirit 


358        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

and  fearlessness  of  results  witli  which  he  defines  and 
maintains  any  position  which,  to  him,  seems  right 
and  proper.  We  repeat,  that  sometimes  he  takes 
extreme  views ;  but  we  also  repeat,  that  in  those 
views  he  is  conscientious.  This  no  one  who  knows 
him  for  a  moment  doubts.  Personal  convenience 
or  inconvenience,  honor  or  disgrace,  never  enter 
into  his  estimate  of  what  is  to  be  done  or  imdone. 
He  has,  I  imagine,  more  reverence  for  the  Estab- 
lished Church,  more  love  for  its  liturgy  and  ob- 
servances, than  his  father,  and  holds  that  it  was 
Mr.  Wesley's  design  that  his  abridgment  of  the 
Church  service  should  be  used  in  the  Wesleyan 
pulpits.  While  stationed  in  the  Manchester  first 
circuit,  he  was  desirous  to  introduce  the  liturgy 
into  the  principal  places  of  worship.  He  could 
obtain  the  consent  of  the  trustees  of  only  one  chapel, 
that  at  Cheetham  Hill,  where  he  resided,  and  which 
might,  in  some  sense,  be  said  to  be  under  his  more 
immediate  personal  oversight.  But  even  their 
consent  was  only  partial.  It  was  limited  to  an 
agreement  that  the  church  prayers  might  be  read 
in  addition  to  the  regular  service.  Mr.  Bimting 
thereupon  announced  that  "  when  be  occupied 
the  pulpit,  Wesleyan  service  (meaning  the  church 
prayers)  would  commence  at  a  quarter  before  ten 
o'clock,  and  j^uhlic  service  at  half-past  ten."  And 
he  continued  to  perform  this  extra  duty  while  he 
staid  in  the  circuit,  although  the  attendance  upon 
the  "Wesleyan  service"  was  by  no  means  at  any 
time  very  encouraging,  but  the  contrar}^    It  was 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  359 

in  this  connection  also  that  lie  commenced  wearing 
a  gown.  The  Cheetham  Hill  Chapel  was  surround- 
ed by  a  large  burying-ground,  which,  from  the 
remarkable  dryness  of  the  soil,  was  a  favorite  place 
of  interment.  The  bmials,  indeed,  were  so  nu- 
merous, that  the  trustees  found  it  necessary  to 
have  a  chapUiin  attached  to  the  chapel,  which  office 
was  always  held  by  a  supernumerary  preacher. 
As  persons  of  all  denominations  took  then-  friends 
there  for  intei-ment,  he  was  required  to  wear  a 
gown  while  officiating  at  the  gi-ave.  The  exact 
connection  between  this  and  Mr.  Bunting's  adopt- 
ing the  gown  I  cannot  now  recall.  Some  connec- 
tion between  them  there  was,  as  appeared  when 
the  matter  was  debated  in  the  Conference,  as  his 
case  differed  somewhat  from  that  of  others  who 
had  also  put  on  canonicals.  After  considerable 
discussion  the  gowTis  were  in  the  mmority,  and  the 
novelty  was  discontuiued. 

The  uidependence  which  has  been  referred  to 
has  been  showm  in  many  things,  and  not  imfre- 
quently  in  opinions  on  theology.  The  temi  is  used 
advisedly,  as  will  shortly  appear.  It  has  already 
been  said  that  Wesley's  Sermons  and  his  Notes  on 
the  New  Testament  are  the  recognized  standard  of 
Wesleyan  theology.  His  doctrinal  views  are  strictly 
enforced  as  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible,  which  every 
Wesleyan  preacher  must  honestly  entertain  and 
faithfully  inculcate.  Such  doctrines  as  Mr.  Wesley 
taught,  and  the  Church  of  England  also,  as  her 
liturgy  and  homilies  show,  Mr.  Bunting,  on  intelli- 


360        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


gent  conviction,  firmly  believes  and  preaches.  But 
there  is  a  danger,  remote  and  shght  it  must  be 
conceded,  that  the  mere  opinions  of  a  man  so  re- 
vered as  Mr.  Wesley  is  by  his  followers  should 
come  to  have  undue  weight  with  those  who  so  cor- 
dially and  implicitly  receive  his  doctrinal  teachings 
as  Scriptural.  Now  it  has  often  seemed  to  me 
that  the  subject  of  this  sketch  is  exceedingly  jealous 
and  sensitive  on  this  point.  He  claims  and  exer- 
cises, to  its  utmost  limits  perhaps,  the  right  of 
private  judgment  in  such  matters,  and  \^^ll  not  sub- 
stitute any  man's  opinions  for  his  o^vn.  This  dis- 
position has  shown  itself  in  numerous  instances, 
which  cannot  be  referred  to  here  without  explana- 
tions which  would  swell  this  sketch  to  an  immo- 
derate length.  Moreover,  his  mind  is  peculiarly 
constructed.  It  is  philosophical,  metaphysical. 
He  can  see  distinctions  and  shades  of  difference 
where  others  cannot ;  no  point  made  by  others  is 
so  perfect  that  he  cannot  reduce  it — make  it  still 
finer  and  more  minute.  The  finest  hair-line  of  de- 
finition or  thought  he  can  split,  and  probably  that 
yet  again,  and  his  indulgence  of  this  faculty  some- 
times leads  him  to  niceties  of  distinctions  or  con- 
clusions which  few  but  himself  can  see,  but  which, 
with  their  issues,  are  to  him  so  apparent  and  im- 
portant, that  he  earnestly  presses  them,  often  so 
much  as  to  cause  himself  to  be  misapprehended 
by  those  whose  perceptions  are  less  clear  and 
minute,  and  whose  minds  are  of  a  less  delicate 
structure. 


SKETCHES  OF  WT:SLETAX  PREACHERS.  361 

Another  featiu-e  of  Mr.  Bunting's  character  may 
be  mentioned  in  this  connection;  his  ahnost  un- 
equaled  cathohcity  of  spirit.  For  this  he  has 
always  been  remarkable,  and  he  has  been  at  no 
little  pains  to  cultivate  tliis  in  the  societies  over 
■which  he  has  been  appointed.  In  the  manner  of 
doing  tliis,  his  judgment,  as  in  other  things,  has 
perhaps  sometunes  been  at  fault.  In  rebuking 
what  he  has  conceived  to  be  sectarian  in  Methodism, 
he  has  sometimes  imintentionally  given  "  aid  and 
comfort"  to  its  enemies.  Yet,  it  may  be  safely 
affirmed  that  Wesleyan  Methodism,  in  all  its  broad, 
essential,  radical  distinctions,  has  no  more  ardent 
admirer  or  stanch  friend  than  he  ;  none  that  would 
more  promptly  buckle  on  his  armor  to  its  rescue, 
and  more  heroicly  defend  it  even  to  death  when 
assailed,  taking  for  his  motto, — 

"  Long  be  our  fathers'  temple  ours  '. 

Wo  to  the  liand  by  which  it  falls  ! 
A  thousand  spirits  watch  its  towers, 

A  cloud  of  angels  guard  its  walls." 

Yet  his  catholicity  will  have  utterance  both  of 
word  and  deed.  His  Christian  sympathies  and 
affections  cannot  be  confined  within  denominational 
limits,  and  he  has  always  numbered  among  his  per- 
sonal friends  distinguished  ornaments,  both  clerical 
and'  lay,  of  other  religious  bodies.  His  intimate 
friendship  with  Rev.  Dr.  M'All,  and  the  relation 
in  which  they  stood  to  each  other  when  that  elo- 
quent divine  preached  his  last  sermon,  have  already 
been  spoken  of.    Numerous  other  mstances  might 


362        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


be  mentioned,  but  sufficient  evidence  that  I  have 
not  over-estimated  this  shining  glory  of  his  charac- 
ter is  found  in  the  readiness,  even  eagerness,  with 
-which  he  entered  into  the  spirit  and  views  of  the 
Evangelical  Alliance. 

As  a  preacher,  he  has  always  ranked  deservedly 
very  high,  although  he  has  two  serious  defects. 
The  one  is  that  he  greatly  lacks  in  physical  energy, 
and  the  other  that  he  always  preaches  much  too 
long.  He  has  been  known-  to  detain  a  congrega- 
tion from  half-past  ten  until  nearly  two  o'clock,  or 
from  six  o'clock  until  half-past  nine  or  ten  in  the 
evening.  It  is  no  small  compliment  to  a  man's 
talents  that  he  can  detain  a  congregation  thus, 
whatever  may  be  said  of  his  judgment.  These  of 
course  have  been  special  occasions.  But  he  sel- 
dom concludes  the  forenoon  sermon  before  one,  and 
the  evening  service  is  equally  prolonged.  This  is  a 
serious  inconvenience  in  his  regular  appointments  ; 
of  course  on  special  occasions  the  people  are  more 
prepared  for  such  detention,  and  the  devout,  in- 
telligent Christian  is  always  amply  repaid .  Highly 
intellectual  as  are  Mr.  Bunting's  discourses,  they 
are  also  full  of  practical,  experimental  Christianity  ; 
and  when,  under  the  influence  of  a  gale  from  heaven, 
he  expatiates  upon  the  economy  of  salvation,  the 
copiousness  of  divine  mercy,  the  privileges  of  be- 
lievers, and  the  glory  to  be  revealed,  it  is  as 
though  an  angel  spake  unto  the  people.  Then  in- 
deed there  were  times  of  refreshing  from  the 
presence  of  the  Lord.    The  tall,  attenuated  form 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEVAN  PREACHERS.  863 

of  the  speaker,  seeming  inspired  with  new  Ufe  ;  the 
mild  eye,  glowing  with  a  hidden  fire ;  the  soft, 
mellow,  mellifluous  voice ;  the  well-stored  mind  : 
the  warm  heart ;  and  the  chaste  imagination  ;  all 
contribute  to  cast  a  spell  over  the  delighted  audi- 
ence which  no  lapse  of  time  can  break.  The 
speaker's  voice  must  cease  ere  the  charm  can  be 
dispelled,  and  even  long  after  that  its  rich  tones 
and  richer  thoughts  seem  to  delight  the  ear  and 
dwell  in  the  heart. 

Mr.  Bunting  is  a  poet  of  no  mean  order.  He 
has  contributed  to  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  Maga- 
zine at  different  times,  over  the  signature  of 
"  Alec,"  some  as  exquisite  gems  of  sacred  fugitive 
poetry  as  were  ever  penned,  and  is  also  the  author 
of  a  beautiful  hymn  on  renewing  the  covenant,  on 
page  581  of  our  collection.  I  am  not  aware  that 
his  poems  have  ever  been  published  in  a  collected 
fonn.  They  would  make  a  handsome  volume  in 
point  of  number ;  in  the  matters  of  tone,  poetic 
feeling,  and  fei-A-ent,  enlightened  piety,  they  would 
have  a  value  beyond  price. 


364        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEY  AN  PREACHERS. 


(George  JHorlc^. 

"  He  is  not  witty,  nor  learned,  nor  eloquent,  but  holy ;  a  cha- 
racter that  Hermogines  never  dreamed  of ;  and  therefore  he  could 
give  no  precepts  thereof." — Herbert's  Country  Pastor. 

The  Rev.  George  Morley  was  the  immediate 
predecessor  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Bunting  in  the  office 
of  senior  missionary  secretary,  and  fulfilled  the 
onerous  duties  of  that  position  with  high  satisfac- 
tion to  the  connection  at  large,  and  to  the  mission- 
aries, who  ever  found  in  him  a  judicious  counsel- 
or and  a  faithful  and  sympatliizing  friend.  In 
1830  he  was  elected  president  of  the  Conference, 
in  which  office  he  won  much  esteem.  At  the 
Conference  of  1831  he  was  appointed  governor  of 
the  preachers'  sons'  academy,  at  Woodhouse 
Grove,  where  the  writer's  acquaintance  with  him 
first  commenced.  For  the  duties  of  that  office  he 
was  eminently  quahfied,  mingling  in  his  deport- 
ment urbanity  and  dignity,  kindness  and  discipline, 
in  just  and  admirable  proportions.  The  institu- 
tion prospered  greatly  under  his  administration, 
his  excellent  wife  making  almost  a  sacrifice  of  her- 
self for  its  welfare,  and  her  daughter  cordially  co- 
operating with  both  in  their  ceaseless  devotion  to 
its  interests.  Mr.  Morley  died  while  holding  this 
important  post  in  the  Wesleyan  connection. 

In  Duval's  centenary  picture,  elsewhere  alluded 
to  m  this  volume,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  occu- 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  365 

pies  a  prominent  place.  His  personal  appearance 
conveyed  the  idea  of  perfect  contentment.  He 
was  of  low  stature,  probably  five  feet  six  inches, 
but  his  corpulence  made  him  appear  perhaps  less 
than  that.  While  exceedingly  rotund  and  fleshy, 
there  was  so  much  of  intelligence  and  character  in 
the  countenance,  that  the  intellectual  and  moral  as- 
pect of  the  man  struck  the  stranger  much  more 
forcibly  than  the  physical,  and  the  impression  first 
made  upon  the  mind  was  of  a  most  pleasant  sort. 
Benevolence,  intelHgence,  affabihty,  and  over  these 
a  veil  of  meditative  quietude,  would  be  attributed  to 
him  by  the  most  casual  observer — they  were  writ- 
ten, as  with  a  sunbeam,  upon  his  bland  and  open 
countenance.  But  closer  inspection  would  detect 
more  than  these.  Firmness  of  purpose,  close  obser- 
vation and  ready  discernment  of  character,  and 
clearness  of  perception,  were  strongly  marked  cha- 
racteristics of  the  man,  and  it  could  not  fail  to  be 
seen  that  with  all  this  seeming  repose — apparently 
amounting  almost  to  indolence  of  thought — the  in- 
tellect was  active  and  vigorous;  and  the  entire 
man,  mental  and  physical,  was  held  under  vigOant 
control,  ready  for  any  duty  or  emergency  that 
might  call  his  powers  into  exercise.  No  one 
could  sit  long  in  his  company  without  feeling  a  re- 
straint and  deference,  almost  reaching  veneration 
and  awe,  on  the  first  introduction,  but  subse- 
quently subsiding  mto  a  pleasanter  feeling,  if  the 
reverend  gentleman's  estimate  of  your  character 
justified  him  in  giving  you  his  confidence.  With 


366        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

all  the  beaming  gooduess  and  hmi  hommie  appear- 
ance of  Mr.  Morley,  there  was  a  reserve — though 
that  word  is  a  shade  too  strong  to  express  my  pre- 
cise meaning — which  forbade  imdue  freedom  of 
access.  It  seemed,  in  effect,  to  say  that  the  reve- 
rend gentleman  would  rather  form  his  own  judg- 
ment of  character  than  rely  upon  mere  report ; 
and  the  probability  was,  that  having  for  awhile  di- 
rected your  conversation  elsewhere,  on  again  ad- 
dressing Mr.  Morley,  you  would  detect  him 
thoughtfully  and  closely,  but  never  rudely,  scan- 
ning you ;  while  something  in  the  eye  told  you 
that  you  were,  or  would  be,  thoroughly  under- 
stood. His  discernment  rarely  failed  him,  and  his 
confidence  once  given,  he  was  a  faithful  friend 
through  every  vicissitude,  and  his  sound  judgment 
and  extensive  knowledge  of  men  and  things  made 
him  an  invaluable  counselor  and  giiide. 

Mr.  Morley  was  emphatically  a  preacher  of  the 
gospel.  An  extensive  reader,  and  of  no  mean 
acquirements  in  general  literature,  he  held  these 
subordinate  to  the  authoritative  and  didactic  truths 
of  the  gospel,  and  ministered  to  those  who  heard 
him  the  unadulterated  word  of  God.  A  rich,  evan- 
gelical unction,  attended  his  preaching — the  de- 
monstration of  the  Spirit  with  power — while  the 
practical  doctrines  of  Christianity,  its  elevated 
morahty  and  high  requirements,  were  strenuously 
insisted  upon.  Mere  emotion  he  never  sought  to 
excite.  He  taught  the  people  out  of  the  Scriptures 
— their  duties  and  their  privileges  were  set  before 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  367 


them,  not  with  vehemence  or  in  strains  of  impas- 
sioned eloquence,  but  with  clearness  and  force. 
His  ministry  was  more  adapted  to  feed  the  flock 
of  Christ  than  to  please  those  who  had  itching 
ears,  or  attract  those  who  had  not  yet  tasted  of  the 
things  of  God.  Not  that  he  was  lacking  m  cor- 
rectness of  style,  fluency  of  utterance,  or  elevation 
of  thought.  His  style  was,  indeed,  remarkably 
chaste,  his  thoughts  always  well  arranged,  and  his 
subject  well  digested.  But  his  mmd  Avas  contem- 
plative rather  than  impulsive,  appreciative  rather 
than  vigorous ;  his  views  coiTect  rather  than  start- 
ling ;  and  his  sermons  such  as  were  to  be  thought  of 
at  home,  and  meditated  upon  in  the  closet  long 
after  they  had  been  Ustened  to  from  the  pulpit. 

Not  many  ministers  more  universally  enjoyed 
the  confidence  and  esteem  of  their  brethren  than 
the  Rev.  George  Morley  ;  and  his  death  occasioned 
a  deep  feeling  through  the  connection.  "Few 
men,"  says  the  brief  official  notice  in  the  Minutes, 
"have  pursued,  for  upward  of  half  a  century,  a 
more  unbroken  course  of  actiNity  and  usefulness  ; 
his  labors  being  continued,  with  scarcely  a  day's 
inteiTuption,  until  the  last  month  of  his  earthly 
caree^.  His  life  was  one  of  perpetual  sunshine. 
He  was,  emphatically,  a  happy  man  ;  and  his  end 
perfectly  accorded  sviih.  the  tenor  of  his  hfe.  Shortly 
before  his  departure,  he  said,  with  great  emphasis, 
'  I  gave  myself  to  God,  and  to  his  people,  threescore 
years  ago,  and  he  has  never  left  me.  He  is  with  me 
now ;  and  he  will  never  leave  me  nor  forsake  me.' " 


368        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS. 


Io0cpl)  Beaumont,  m.  H). 

"  His  eloquence  a  stream  of  living  thought, 
Gushing  from  out  the  fountain  of  the  heart — 
Now  'mong  green  pastures,  making  minstrelsy, 
Now  fearless,  rushing  from  the  dizzy  brink, 
Like  mountain  cataract,  with  thundering  voice, 
Bearing  the  breattUess  hearers  midst  the  foam ; 
Then  lulling  into  calm,  midst  rainbow  hues. 
As  gently  flow'd,  from  his  persuasive  tongue. 
The  promises  of  pleasantness  and  peace." 

The  fame  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Beaumont  as  a  preacher 
is  not  confined  to  "  Albion's  sea-girt  isle."  It  has 
reached  this  continent,  and  it  is  no  uncommon  thing 
to  hear  his  name  mentioned,  not  only  by  those  of 
his  countrymen  who  are  now  residents  in  the 
United  States,  but  by  Americans  who  have  visited 
England,  and,  attracted  by  his  high  reputation, 
have  sought  opportunities  of  listening  to  his  elo- 
quent advocacy  of  the  truth.  These  differ,  as  was 
to  be  expected,  in  their  estimate  of  his  pulpit 
talents  and  the  degree  of  admiration  they  accord 
to  him.  Some  think  him  too  vehement,  others  are 
led  captive  by  his  earnestness ;  some  think  his 
imagination  excessive,  and  his  imagery  bordering 
upon  extravagance  ;  others  find  an  imposing  charm 
in  his  exuberance  of  fancy ;  some  think  him  not 
sufficiently  argumentative  and  logical ;  and  others, 
again,  admire  his  power  of  declamation  and  of  pic- 
torial representation.  But  they  all,  so  far  as  per- 
sonal observation  extends,  agree  that  he  is  a  man 
of  wonderful  genius,  sincere  and  zealous  in  his  holy 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  369 

vocation,  possessing,  in  a  remarkable  degree,  the 
power  of  swaying  the  hearts  of  his  hearers,  and 
eminently  fitted  to  keep  upon  their  watch-towers, 
or  lead  on  to  conquests,  any  division  of  the  army 
of  the  living  God  of  which  he  may  be  in  com- 
mand. 

In  a  remarkable  degree  Dr.  Beaumont,  as  a 
pulpit  orator,  aflfords  room  for  this  variety  of 
opinion,  while  the  tout-ensemble  entirely  justifies 
the  agreement  in  which  all  those  opinions  meet. 
He  is  altogether  an  extraordinary  man,  under  whose 
ministiy  it  is  always  profitable  and  delightful  to 
sit ;  yet  whose  defects  immediately  aiTest  the  at- 
tention of  the  intelligent  and  observant  hearer.  His 
verj-  eloquence  is  peculiar,  and  heightens  both  the 
beauties  and  blemishes  of  his  style.  At  times  it 
has  all  the  impetuosity  of  a  nishing  torrent,  leaping 
down  rapids,  bounding  over  rocks,  and  dashing 
through  rapines,  that  seem  to  echo  and  reverberate 
with  its  roar.  But  then  it  has  also  its  lull  in 
almost  equal  proportions,  when  it  seems  to  sleep 
in  its  placid  bed,  or  ripples  with  wondrously  sweet 
music  between  its  flowery  banks.  In  these  more 
quiet  moments  the  hearer  has  time  to  look  back  on 
the  scenery  through  which  he  has  passed ;  and 
reflection,  which  was  held  in  abeyance  to  the 
pleasing  turbulence  of  emotion,  is  brought  into 
play.  He  remembers  a  succession  of  sublime  and 
beautiful  imagery,  of  vi\-id  pictures  drawn  with 
all  the  boldness  and  distinctness  of  reality;  but 
they  have  rapidly  receded  from  view,  the  very  per. 

24 


370        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEVAX  PREACHERS. 


fection  of  each  having  tended  to  supplant  the  im- 
pression of  the  former.  Or,  speaking  more  strictly, 
the  hearer  has  been  so  captivated  by  the  startling 
rapidity  of  majestic  objects,  that  he  has  not  ob- 
served the  windings  of  the  stream,  or  whither  its 
course  was  leading  him,  and,  while  lost  in  admi- 
ration of  the  pictorial  beauty  of  the  scene,  has 
had  no  time  for  investigation  and  analysis.  And 
I  think  it  ■will  be  admitted  by  those  who  sit  regu- 
larly under  his  ministry,  that  his  great  popularity 
is  attributable  quite  as  much  to  his  profusion  of 
imageiy  and  impetuous  grandeur  and  beauty  of 
diction,  with  his  unwearied  zeal,  as  to  the  clearness 
of  his  theological  views,  his  power  of  definition,  or 
aptitude  of  arrangement. 

I  would  not  be  misunderstood.  As  remarked 
in  another  of  the  sketches  in  this  volume,  to  say 
of  any  individual  Methodist  preacher  that  he  is 
thoroughly  Wesleyan  in  doctrine,  would  be  only  to 
say  of  one  that  which  is  common  to  all.  Dr.  Beau- 
mont is  thoroughly  sound  in  doctrine,  intimately 
conversant  vnth  all  the  phases  of  theological  truth 
as  held  by  the  Wesleyan  Methodists,  and  earnest 
and  faithful  in  their  explication.  But,  on  the  other 
hand,  he  is  not  so  much  distinguished  for  profun- 
dity of  thought  as  for  felicitous  exhibition  of  the 
truth.  He  somewhat  resembles  Mr.  Dawson  in 
that,  while  e\dncing  a  much  more  polished  style 
and  more  copious  and  classic  language,  he  is,  in 
the  elucidation  of  the  truth,  more  indebted  to  ge- 
nius than  to  absolutely  intellectual  greatness.  There 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  371 

is  in  his  sermons  more  of  illustration  than  logic,  of 
declamation  than  argument.  Light  flashes  upon  the 
audience  at  every  turn  ;  but  it  is  the  sudden  blaze 
of  genius,  rather  than  the  steady  effulgence  of  ripe 
and  matured  thought.  Genius  is,  indeed,  his 
distinguishing  characteristic ;  and  it  is  genius  not 
xmaided,  but  ha-\-ing  all  the  advantages  of  educa- 
tion and  physical  temperament,  and  a  beauty  and 
abundance  of  language  possessed  but  by  very  few  ; 
genius,  too,  that  is  remarkably  free  from  the  erratic 
movements  to  which  it  is  usually  prone,  for  it  is 
held  in  strict  abeyance  to  the  great  end  of  all 
preaching,  the  practical  enforcement  of  the  pre- 
cepts and  requirements  of  the  gospel,  and  the  ex- 
hibition of  its  exalted  privileges  and  abounding 
consolations.  His  definitions  rarely  partake  of  the 
preciseness  of  the  practiced  polemic.  The  minuter 
shades  of  difference  are  rarely  dwelt  upon,  in  which 
he  is  almost  the  antipodes  of  another  popular 
minister,  the  Rev.  William  M.  Bunting,  whose  me- 
taphysical acumen  enables  him  to  dissect  the  most 
dehcate  fibres  of  doctrinal  tniths.  These  Dr.  Beau- 
mont rarely  touches.  Either  he  does  not  see  them, 
or  he  does  not  heed  them.  They,  at  least,  serve 
not  his  purpose  of  direct  and  forcible  appeal.  He 
has  more  to  do  with  the  heart  and  conscience  than 
with  metaphysical  distinctions ;  with  the  business 
and  bosoms  of  men  than  with  the  schools,  though 
he  is  by  no  means  unversed  in  their  teachings. 
The  arrangement  of  his  discourses  has  reference  to 
the  points  available  for  effect,  and  is  so  far  in  ac- 


3Y2        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS. 

cordance  with  their  matter  and  the  manner  of  their 
delivery.  But  the  plan,  while  sometimes  evincing 
originality,  is  generally  within  the  usual  range  of 
sermonical  system,  unobjectionable,  but  not  pecu- 
liarly striking. 

So  far  the  negative  qualities  of  our  subject  as  a 
preacher  have  been  dwelt  upon ;  and  when  it  is 
added  that,  owing  to  a  defect  in  the  palate,  which 
is  relieved  by  artificial  means,  his  utterance  is  often, 
indeed  always,  labored,  all  has  been  said  that  need 
be  on  that  aspect  of  the  man.  As  a  pulpit  orator, 
perhaps,  he  has  no  superior  in  effective  ministration 
of  the  word ;  and  I  apprehend  he  is  at  this  day 
as  popular  as  any  minister  in  the  Wesleyan  con- 
nection, unless  Dr.  Newton  be  an  exception.  When- 
ever he  preaches,  either  in  his  own  circuit  or 
elsewhere,  he  commands  overflowing  congregations. 
Like  Dr.  Newton,  he  is  popular  with  all.  It  is 
not  Avith  either  the  higher  or  lower  classes  alone 
that  he  finds  favor  ;  not  witli  the  purely  intellectual 
and  refined  alone,  any  more  than  with  those  only, 
of  whom  there  are  always  too  many,  who  hve 
mainly  upon  emotion  or  excitement.  The  literate 
and  iUiterate  ahke  crowd  to  hear  him,  and  reap 
pleasure  and  profit  from  his  ministry.  Even  the 
profound  thinker,  while  he  feels  that,  to  some  ex- 
tent, there  is  a  falling  short  of  the  standard  con- 
genial to  his  tastes,  still  gathers  a  harvest  of  brilliant 
ideas,  and  feels  the  impetus  of  his  impassioned 
utterance.  Indeed,  none  can  resist  it.  When  the 
gush  of  feeling  is  upon  him,  when  the  glow  of 


SKETCHES  OK  WEbLLVAN  I'KEACUERS.  373 

genius  is  kindled,  the  fire  in  his  bones  consumes 
everything  before  it.  Light  bursts  from  every 
sentence,  now  with  the  fierceness  of  the  "forked 
Ughtiiing's  glare ;"  now  with  the  subUme,  but 
softened  beauty  of  the  electric  flash  behind  the 
summer  cloud  ;  and  anon  with  the  splendor  of  the 
midday  sun  and  with  its  burning  heat.  Image 
upon  image  is  piled  with  majestic  grandeur  and 
dazzling  gorgeousness ;  a  moment  after,  the  mi- 
nutest forms  of  created  things  are  pressed  into  the 
preacher's  ser\-ice  for  the  illustration  of  his  subject ; 
and  all  so  instinct  ^vith  life,  that  it  seems  as  though 
the  real,  rather  than  the  ideal,  was  present  before 
the  audience.  Sometimes,  indeed,  the  preacher 
seems  himself  to  be  the  personation  of  the  symbol 
employed,  so  perfectly  does  he  embody  his  idea, 
and  so  entirely  in  keeping  is  eveiy  intonation  and 
action.  I  remember  one  remarkable  instance  of 
this,  though  the  occasion  is  now  so  remote  that  I 
cannot  remember  other  portions  of  the  sermon,  in 
the  absence  of  which,  and  because  I  cannot  recall 
the  speaker's  felicitous  language,  the  figure  will  be 
shorn  of  much  of  its  beauty. 

Dr.  Beaumont  was  preaching  in  one  of  the  Sal- 
ford  (Manchester)  chapels.  In  the  progress  of  the 
discourse,  he  was  led  to  speak  of  the  "  riches,  of 
wisdom,  and  knowledge,"  and  consolation,  which 
the  true  believer  might  gather  from  the  sacred 
word.  It  was  "  sweeter  than  honey  or  the  honey- 
comb." But  it  was  by  diligent  searching  only 
that  its  hidden  treasures  could  be  secui-ed.  Car- 


3'74        SKETCIIUS  OV  VtESLEVAX  PREACHERS. 

rying  out  the  idea,  he  depicted  the  bee,  indus- 
triously prosecuting  its  searcli  for  honey,  darting 
across  the  cultivated  garden,  sipping  nectar  and 
lading  itself  with  store-honey  from  every  opening 
flower ;  now  flying  over  the  wide-spread  moor, 
finding  treasui'es  f)f  sweetness  even  in  the  modest 
flowers  of  wild  thyme  and  the  delicately  tinted 
petals  of  the  humble  heather  ;  and  anon  humming 
blithely  its  merry,  grateful  song,  as  it  sought  its 
homeward  way  by  the  deep  ravine,  and  even  there 
found  new  treasures  as  it  alighted  for  a  moment 
upon  the  lowly  primrose  or  retiring  violet.  But 
no  types,  no  language,  especially  where  memory 
is  the  only  guide,  can  convey  to  the  reader  a  tithe 
of  the  beauties  of  the  illustration  as  orally  presented 
by  the  preacher.  Placing  the  Bible  under  his 
arm,  and  pressing  it  to  liis  heart  as  a  treasure 
"  more  precious  than  rubies,"  he  dwelt  m  measured 
cadence  upon  the  picture,  adapting  his  intonations 
so  exactly  to  the  rapid  movements,  the  sudden 
haltings  and  startings  of  the  laborious  insect,  that 
his  hearers  seemed  to  journey  with  him  through 
garden,  and  moorland,  and  clefts  of  rocks,  and 
almost  to  see  the  ideal  insect,  and  hear  its  joyful 
hum,  as  now  it  hovered  over  the  inviting  flower,  or, 
rejoicing  over  its  spoils,  sped  its  rapid  flight  to  its 
refuge  and  home.  I  have  listened  to  not  a  few 
glowing  scenes  from  nature,  but  never  heard  I  so 
perfect  a  poetic  impersonation — for  it  was  more 
than  painting  ;  it  had  life,  and  motion,  and  voice. 
And  such  displays  of  pictoi'ial  power  were  by  no 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  375 

means  rare.  I  marvel  not  at  Dr.  Beaumont's  popu- 
larity ;  he  has  all  the  elements  of  it,  with  an  abound- 
ing zeal  which  spares  no  strength  or  labor  in  his 
Master's  service. 

In  social  hfe  our  subject  is  as  captivating  as  in 
his  more  public  duties.  He  is  the  fast,  whole- 
souled  friend,  all  the  more  attached  and  faithful 
when  "times  of  dark  distress  prevail."  He  is  the 
friend  indeed,  because  the  friend  in  need.  While 
he  retains  confidence  in  one  whom  he  has  trusted, 
no  amount  of  obloijuy,  or  reproach,  or  persecution, 
can  deter  him  from  throwing  around  the  object  of 
his  attachment  the  shield  of  iiis  protection.  It  is, 
indeed,  at  such  times  that  he  shows  the  ardor  and 
heartiness  of  his  affection  for  his  friends.  He  will 
fight  their  battles  to  the  last  struggle  of  a  forlorn 
hope  ;  nor  then  will  he  forsake  one  whom  he  recog- 
nizes as  a  friend.  Utterly  indifferent  of  conse- 
quences to  himself,  he  will  never  desert  those 
whose  claims  upon  his  services  his  heart  tells  him 
he  must  allow,  but  with  untired  devotion  will  labor 
on  their  behalf. 

In  Conference  Dr.  Beaumont  has  long  been 
accounted,  to  use  a  parliamentary  term,  the  "  leader 
of  the  opposition."  I  know  not  that  he  would 
acknowledge  the  appellation,  but  it  is  undoubtedly 
true  to  a  great  extent.  He  is  fond  of  the  excite- 
ment of  debate,  but  never  stoops  to  small  game. 
The  shafts  of  his  controversy  are  directed  prin- 
cipally, and  almost  altogether,  against  Dr.  Bunting ; 
and  he  is  not  sparing  in  language.    He  is  fierce 


876        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

and  fearless,  and  thougli  sometimes  personal,  and 
apt  to  attribute  motives  and  assign  reasons  for  the 
measures  he  opposes,  which  would  be  scarcely 
creditable  to  his  brethren,  he  is  never  ill-natured. 
He  will  say  right  out,  before  the  face  of  every 
man,  what  others  would  be  apt  to  think  only,  or, 
at  most,  to  whisper.  He  knows  nothing  of  sly 
caution  when  entering  the  arena  of  debate.  It 
must  be  acknowledged  also,  if  common  report  be 
true,  that  he  is  often  wrong  in  his  positions,  and 
easily  "  floored "  for  want  of  due  reflection  and 
discrimination  before  he  enters  the  field.  His  very 
impulsiveness  unfits  him  for  a  skillful  and  success- 
ful debater.  He  is  too  keen  of  the  game,  and 
starts  before  he  is  fairly  on  the  trail.  Hence  he  is 
no  match  for  Dr.  Bunting,  who  lets  much  of  his 
opponent's  fii-e  go  unanswered,  but  occasionally 
pours  in  a  destructive  volley,  and  effectually,  for 
the  time,  silences  his  guns.  It  is  this  extreme 
qmckness  to  "  spar"  that  has  made  Dr.  Beaumont 
the  most  prominent  man  on  the  side  of  the  Con- 
ference which  chooses  to  call  itself  "  hberal ;"  and 
the  vigor  with  which  he  conducts  the  assault,  and 
the  strong  rmder-feeling  of  thoroughly  generous 
and  frank  good  nature  which  will  ever  and  anon 
gush  out,  give  a  charm  to  his  conferential  outbreaks. 
The  moment  he  rises,  expectation  is  excited.  Smiles 
are  exchanged  on  every  hand,  and  in  the  remoter 
parts  of  the  house  the  preachers  will  be  seen  bend- 
ing forward  to  catch  every  motion  and  each  flash 
of  the  eye ;  for  with  these  the  doctor  augments 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS.  377 

the  force  of  his  appeals.  As  the  speaker  warms 
with  his  theme,  sparks  are  emitted,  followed  by 
scintillations  and  streams  of  Ught ;  then  come  sal- 
hes  of  wit,  and,  ere  long,  strong  and  vehement 
invective.  Now  his  audience  are  hushed  as  the 
silent  night,  and  anon,  as  he  again  indulges  in  the 
playful  vein,  a  general  hearty  laughter  may  be 
heard  through  the  house,  from  those  he  is  flaying 
as  well  as  from  the  rest.  For  it  may  be  said  here 
that  the  Wesleyan  preachers,  with  occasionally  a 
rare  exception,  so  long  as  no  mahce  is  exhibited, 
can  enjoy  a  sally  of  wit  at  their  oym  expense  with 
as  thorough  good  humor  as  they  can  inflict  it  on 
othei-s.  This  is  the  case  with  Dr.  Beaumont.  He 
strikes  hard,  and  strikes  home ;  but  he  has  no  ob- 
jection to  a  hard  blow  in  return.  Indeed,  he  is 
in  his  glory  in  the  midst  of  an  intellectual  melee.  He 
is  the  Mr.  Brougham  of  the  "  opposition  benches," 
watching  every  movement  of  the  majority  with 
lynx-eyed  suspicion,  and  poimcing  upon  their 
measures  almost  before  they  have  emerged  into 
the  light ;  but,  hke  that  same  impersonation  of 
biting  sarcasm,  quick  retort,  brilliant  wit,  and  ex- 
cm-sive  fancy,  he  dazzles  and  delights  his  friends 
more  than  he  excites  their  confidence  or  secures 
their  rehance  upon  his  judgment.  He  vnl\  never 
be  a  permanent  ruler  in  Israel ;  but  whoever  does 
rule,  will  have  Dr.  Beaumont's  opposition  in  mind 
when  he  frames  his  measures.  I  apprehend  that 
the  doctor  is  now  as  strictly  in  his  proper  sphere 
of  usefulness  to  the  connection — in  the  position  he 


378        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

will  hold,  without  a  successful  rival,  to  the  day  of 
his  death — as  is  the  Rev.  Dr.  Bunting.  Each  is  at 
the  head  of  his  respective  corps,  where  his  talents 
can  be  known  and  appreciated. 

In  personal  appearance  our  subject  is  in  no  way- 
peculiar.  He  possesses  a  hearty,  robust  frame,  is 
somewhat  dark  complexioned,  with  black  eyes. 
He  is  about  five  feet  ten  inches  high — possibly  an 
inch  taller.  His  preaching  is  apparently  attended 
with  great  physical  exertion ;  yet  I  am  not  aware 
that  he  suffers  any  exhaustion,  or  is  accustomed  to 
complain  even  of  any  great  weariness,  after  a  most 
laborious  sabbath.  He  is  now  about  fifty-five  years 
of  age,  and  has  been  in  the  itinerancy  since  1813. 
He  has  acqmred  his  present  vast  popularity  prin- 
cipally within  the  last  fifteen  to  twenty  years. 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS.  379 


tDUliam  SI)atD. 

"  Unto  me  is  this  grace  given,  that  I  should  preach  unto  the 
Gentiles  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ." 

In  the  "Wesleyan  Centenaiy  Takings,"  so  often 
referred  to  in  this  volume,  it  is  very  justly  said  of 
the  Rev.  WUliam  Shaw,  that  he  is  no  beUever  in 
the  sentiment  of  Voltaire  :  "  Bring  together  all  the 
childi-en  of  the  universe,  and  you  will  see  nothing 
in  them  but  innocence,  gentleness,  and  fear ;  were 
they  bom  wicked,  spiteful,  and  cruel,  some  signs 
of  it  would  come  from  them,  as  little  snakes  strive 
to  bite,  and  httle  tigers  to  tear.  But  nature  ha\-ing 
been  as  sparing  of  offensive  weapons  to  man  as  to 
pigeons  and  rabbits,  it  cannot  have  given  them  an 
instinct  to  mischief  and  destmction."  Such  a 
creed,  adds  the  author  of  the  "  Takings,"  would 
have  saved  Mr.  Shaw  much  risk  and  toil  in  the 
African  deserts.  But  Mr.  Shaw  knows  human  na- 
tnie  better  than  did  Voltaire,  and  is  not  the  man 
to  build  his  practice  upon  such  a  shallow  sophism. 
He  knows  that  man  is  depraved  ;  that  reason,  intel- 
ligence— the  means  which  God  gave  man  for  de- 
fense and  the  maintenance  of  his  superiority  over 
other  created  beings — are  willfully  and  awfully 
perA-erted,  and  used  as  a  "weapon  of  rebelhon" 
against  the  donor ;  that  man  is  tainted  with  moral 
evil;  that  without  the  restraints  of  divine  grace 
and  the  renewing  energy  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the 
human  heart  is  "  evil,  and  only  e^^l,  and  evil  con- 


380        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAX  PREACHERS. 


tinually ;"  and  the  negative  \irtues  of  infancy  and 
childhood  are  overruled  by  the  positive  wayward- 
ness, perverseness,  and  hostility  to  all  that  is  holy, 
of  the  heart  of  man ;  and  hence  he  "  counts  not 
his  life  dear  unto  him,  so  that  he  may  fulfill  his 
course  with  joy,  and  the  ministry  he  has  received 
of  the  Lord  Jesus." 

There  are  in  the  Wesleyan  connection  two  mis- 
sionaries of  the  name  of  Shaw,  Barnabas  and  Wil- 
liam ;  each  of  whom  has  spent  a  great  part  of  his 
life  amid  the  savage  tribes  of  Africa,  and,  by  his 
devotion  and  success,  earned  a  high  and  enviable 
reputation.  There  exists,  I  believe,  no  consan- 
guinity between  them.  Of  the  former  I  have  no 
personal  knowledge,  and  do  not  recollect  that  I 
ever  saw  him.  He  is  universally  spoken  of  as  a 
man  of  a  fine  spirit ;  of  indomitable  perseverance 
in  the  work  to  which  he  has  given  liimself ;  and 
has  been  not  inaptly  styled  "  the  apostle  of  Wes- 
leyan missions  to  Southern  Africa."  His  "  Memo- 
rials"* will  be  a  lasting  monument  of  his  devo- 
tion, zeal,  and  success. 

With  the  Rev.  William  Shaw  I  had  the  happi- 
ness of  a  slight  acquaintance  during  the  brief 
interval  of  his  missionary  life.  He  was  then  sta- 
tioned in  the  Leeds  West  circuit,  probably  m  the 
years  1831-2.  His  personal  appearance  strongly 
indicated  his  character.    He  is  a  man  of  strong 

*  Memorials  of  South  Africa.  By  Barnabas  Shaw,  Wesleyan 
Missionary,  resident  in  the  Country  nearly  twenty  Years.  Repub 
lished  at  the  Methodist  Book  Concern  in  New-York. 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  381 

sense  rather  than  of  brilliant  parts  ;  of  a  frank  and 
manly  nature  and  noble  spiiit ;  and  endued  with  a 
personal  courage  that  shrinks  from  no  danger,  but 
would  brave  any  peril,  or  dare  any  enterprise, 
which  duty  involved  or  prompted ;  yet,  withal, 
prudent  and  discreet — "a  fine  specimen  of  the 
missionary  spirit  and  character."  This  was  shown 
on  his  first  entrance  upon  his  missionary  life,  some 
twenty-five  years  ago.  His  origmal  station  was 
within  the  bounds  of  the  colonial  government,  at 
Graham's  Town,  I  think,  and  consequently  he  was 
exposed  to  comparatively  little  peiil,  being  under 
British  protection.  But  his  heart  yearned  toward 
the  poor  outcasts  in  the  "regions  beyond,"  and 
he  resolved  to  visit  them.  He  consulted  the  colo- 
nial authoiities  upon  the  subject,  who  warned  him 
of  the  perils  he  woxdd  encounter ;  of  their  inabihty 
to  protect  him  beyond  a  certain  line,  fmlher  than 
which  they  neither  exercised  nor  claimed  juris- 
diction ;  apprised  liim  of  the  character  of  the 
Kaffir  popiilation,  their  ferocity,  treachery,  and 
cunning  ;  and  assured  him  that  it  would  be  mad- 
ness, amountmg  to  a  criminal  disregard  of  life,  for 
any  person  to  go  alone,  even  ten  miles  beyond  the 
border  ;  much  more  so  to  attempt  to  penetrate 
into  the  interior,  as  he  proposed,  imarmed  and 
unprepared  to  resist  or  intimidate  the  wily,  exas- 
perated, and  cruel  Kaffirs.  But  "  none  of  these 
things  moved  him."  He  had  seen  some  of  these 
wretched  people  in  their  occasional  visits  to  the 
colony,  and  he  longed  to  pi-each  to  them  the 


382        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

knowledge  of  Christ  crucified ;  to  impart  to  them, 
in  some  measure,  the  blessings  of  civilization,  and 
to  raise  them  from  the  depths  of  their  degradation 
and  vice. 

Mrs.  Shaw  had  scarcely  less  of  the  missionary- 
spirit  than  her  noble  husband.  She  sympathized 
cordially  in  his  views  and  feelings,  and,  prompted 
and  sustained  by  Christian  heroism,  seconded  his 
resolves,  and  declared  herself  ready  to  endure  any 
toil  or  hardship,  and  brave  any  danger,  to  which, 
in  Mr.  Shaw's  absence,  she  might  be  exposed. 
Thus  strengthened,  he  set  about  the  execution  of 
his  purpose ;  and  with  one  or  two  attendants  he 
and  his  heroic  helpmeet  journeyed  toward  the 
frontier.  The  line  was  reached,  the  eventful  crisis 
was  upon  them ;  the  attendants  and  Mrs.  Shaw 
prepared  to  take  their  leave,  not  without  another 
remonstrance,  on  the  part  of  the  attendants,  with 
Mr.  Shaw  on  his  hazardous  enterprise.  It  was 
an  awful  moment — an  eventful  crisis.  The  stem 
reality  of  a  missionary's  life  presented  itself  in  its 
most  uninviting  aspect.  The  dark  untrodden  wilds 
of  KafFraria  lay  before  him ;  a  land  inhabited  only 
by  savage  and  cruel  tribes,  whom  only  the  gospel 
could  tame,  and  who  might  refuse  its  overtures, 
and  fatally  resent  the  white  man's  intrusion  into 
their  haunts.  Dense  forests  were  to  be  traversed, 
where  he  could  hear  only  the  roar  of  the  lion  or 
howl  of  the  wolf ;  before  him  were  days  and  nights 
of  exposure  to  the  elements,  relieved  only  by  tem- 
porary sheltei-  amid  the  filth  and  savage  rudeness 


SKETCHES  OF  ■VV'ESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  383 

of  an  African  kraal.  But  to  endure  these  were 
less  hardship  than  to  leave  behind  friends,  and 
countrj-men,  and  wife ;  and  voluntarily  to  shut 
himself  out  from  the  civilized  world,  and  the  pro- 
tecting shadow  of  the  British  sceptre,  so  powerful 
to  shield  those  upon  whom  it  rests.  The  choice 
had  to  be  made,  and  Mr.  Shaw  "  staggered  not  at 
the  promise  because  of  unbelief,"  save  for  a  mo- 
ment as  he  turned  to  bid  adieu  to  his  devoted  wife. 
But  she  had  nerved  herself  for  the  trial ;  nay,  rather 
she  had  looked  to  "  the  strong  for  strength"  to  com- 
plete a  sacrifice,  the  magnitude  of  which  none  but 
a  loving,  Christian  wife,  could  \mderstand ;  and 
that  strength  was  supplied  to  her  from  above. 
She  bade  him  go  into  the  far  country,  into  the 
wilderness,  as  God  had  commanded ;  and  take 
with  him  her  heart,  and  her  admiration  of  his 
Christian  integrity  and  fortitude,  and  her  prayers 
and  her  blessing,  and  the  assurance  of  God's  pro- 
tecting care  and  love  over  both  him  and  her.  And 
then  the  attendants  were  requested  to  retire  to  a 
short  distance,  and  the  noble-hearted  missionary 
and  his,  if  possible,  nobler-hearted  wife  knelt  down 
beside  their  sohtary  wagon  and  presented  them- 
selves a  "  living  sacrifice  unto  God."  When  they 
rose  from  their  knees,  they  resolutely  separated, 
the  one  to  return  to  Graham's  Town,  the  other  to 
go  forth  amid  strangers  and  savages,  confident, 
however,  that  he  was  in  the  keeping  of  Him  whose 
presence  should  be  his  protection,  and  his  right 
arm — his  defense.    That  was  true  heroism,  be- 


884        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


fore  which  deeds  of  valor  on  the  battle  field,  amid 
the  excitement  of  conflict  and  the  hope  of  renown, 
pale  their  fires ;  and  he  the  bravest  warrior  who, 
single-handed  and  without  carnal  weapons,  boldly 
entered  the  enemy's  country  to  subdue  it  to  the 
allegiance  of  Christ. 

After  some  ten  or  eleven  years'  uninternipted 
missionary  life,  Mr.  Shaw  returned  for  a  short  time 
to  his  native  land,  the  disturbed  condition  of  affairs 
in  Africa  inteiTupting  for  a  season  the  successful 
prosecution  of  his  labors.  His  reputation,  by  means 
of  his  letters  and  journals  occasionally  published 
in  the  "Missionary  Notices,"  had  preceded  him, 
and  many  circuits  desired  his  services.  There  being 
no  immediate  prospect  of  an  "  open  door"  for  his 
return  to  Africa,  he  was,  at  the  ensuing  Conference 
after  his  ret\irn,  regularly  stationed  in  the  home 
work.  After  some  three  or  four  years,  events  took 
a  more  favorable  turn;  the  British  government 
expressed  a  strong  desire  that  the  Wesleyan  Mis- 
sionary Society  would  reoccupy  the  ground  they 
had  temporarily  abandoned,  and  Mr.  Shaw  was 
apprised  that  the  committee  desired  his  return. 
The  British  government,  however,  were  not  content 
with  the  simple  expression  of  their  wish  that  the 
society's  stations  should  be  reoccupied ;  but  having, 
in  the  prosecution  of  their  inquu-ies  into  the  diffi- 
culties which  had  occurred  between  the  natives 
and  the  colonists,  partially  ascertained  the  universal 
esteem  in  which  Mr.  Shaw  was  held,  and  the  vast 
influence  which  he  had  acquired,  proposed  to  the 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS.  385 

managing  committee  tliat  he  should  retuni  mto  the 
interior,  clothed  with  official  power,  next  in  rank 
to  the  colonial  governor :  that,  in  fact,  he  shoiild 
go  out  as  deputy  governor,  resident  among  the 
native  population,  the  government  taking  upon 
themselves  his  support,  or  contributing  to  the  so- 
ciety a  sum  equivalent  thereto.  To  supersede  any 
objection  which  might  be  raised,  they  were  even 
willing,  and  it  was  a  proof  of  their  confidence  both 
in  Mr.  Shaw  and  the  missionary  committee,  that 
he  should  retain,  to  its  fullest  extent,  his  mission- 
ary character  and  office,  and  be  held  responsible, 
first  of  all,  to  the  society  with  which  he  had  been 
so  long  and  honorably  connected. 

These,  I  beheve,  were  the  facts  of  the  case,  and 
the  missionary  committee  were  not  a  little  embar- 
rassed by  the  proposal ;  especially  as  feeling  ran 
high  in  the  colony  upon  the  subject,  as  it  also  did 
in  England.  Ungenerous  and  unjust  remarks  had 
been  published  upon  the  conduct  of  the  Wesleyan 
missionaries,  in  quarters  where  the  committee,  and 
the  friends  of  missions  generally,  had  a  right  to 
expect  better  things.  Frequent  and  grave  were 
the  consultations  of  the  committee.  There  were 
advantages,  which  it  would  not  have  been  right  to 
overlook ;  but  there  was  a  possible  danger  in  uniting 
the  official  or  political  character  with  that  of  the 
ministerial,  which  seemed  to  outweigh  eveiy  other 
consideration,  and  finally  induced  the  committee 
respectfully  to  decline  the  proposal.  The  com- 
mittee, however,  saw  the  propriety  of  clothing 


386       SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


Mr.  Shaw  with  additional  powers  from  themselves : 
he  was  made  "  chairman  of  the  Albany  and  Kaf- 
fraria  district,  and  general  superintendent  of 
the  Wesleyan  missions  in  South-Eastem  Africa," 
resident  at  Graham's  Town  ;  which  office  he  has 
now  held,  for  more  than  twelve  years,  with  entire 
satisfaction  to  all  interested  in  that  somewhat  pecu- 
liar field  of  missionary  labor.* 

As  was  intimated,  it  was  during  his  three  or 
four  years'  sojourn  in  his  native  land,  that  my  com- 
paratively slight  acquaintance  with  Mr..  Shaw  was 
formed.  I  more  than  once  accompanied  him  to 
his  week-night  appointments  in  the  country,  or 
went  to  meet  him  on  his  return.  His  society  was 
exceedingly  agreeable,  and  his  conversation  enter- 
taining as  well  as  profitable.  His  manners  ■rt'ere 
remarkably  unassuming.  Few  men  are  so  free 
from  egotism,  especially  when  they  have  passed 

*  At  the  anniversary  of  the  Wesleyan  Missionary  Society,  in  1834, 
Mr.  Shaw  gave  an  interesting  account  of  the  Kaffir  tribes,  among 
whom  lie  had  labored.  Speaking  of  their  religious  opinions,  he 
said,  that  they  imagine  God  lives  in  a  cave  on  the  eastern  side  of 
the  earth,  out  of  which  the  sun  comes  daily.  They  believe  tJiat 
men,  dogs,  elephants,  &c.,  came  out  of  that  cave  in  the  order  men- 
tioned at  the  creation.  They  expose  their  aged  relatives  to  death. 
Mr.  Shaw  mentioned  a  case  of  a  mother  who  was  bound  to  a  tree 
in  a  forest  by  her  own  son,  after  escaping  twice,  and  allowed  by 
him  to  perisli,  although  he  could  liear  her  cries  for  food  and  water. 
They  believed  that  one  of  their  number  could  cause  rain  ;  and  Mr. 
S.  was  obliged,  on  one  occasion,  to  enter  into  a  controversy  with 
the  "  rain-maker,"  who,  when  hard  pressed  to  make  rain  at  a  time 
when  the  cattle  were  dying  for  want  of  water,  said  that  the  sound 
of  the  chapel-bell  drove  the  rain  away.  After  a  special  prayer 
meeting  for  rain  by  the  Kaffir  Christians,  it  fell  ill  great  abundance. 
The  females  were  veiy  cruelly  treated  until  Mr.  Shaw  obtained 
some  laws  to  be  passed  in  their  favor  ;  in  which,  out  of  gratitude, 
they  gave  him  the  name  of  Jfoia  hbnfars—"  the  shield  of  women." 


SKETCHES  OF  TVESLETAN  PREACHERS.  38Y 


through  such  varied  and  peculiar  scenes  as  he  has, 
and  of  which  fnends  were  constantlj-  desiiing  to 
hear  and  urging  liim  to  speak.  He  was  always 
somewhat  chary  of  narrating  his  adventures,  and 
modestly  avoided  the  lionism  they  would  liave 
thrust  upon  him  ;  and  there  was  something  about 
him — a  sort  of  unobstrusive  dignity,  it  could  scarce- 
ly be  called  reserve — which  checked  any  undue  or 
impertinent  pressing  upon  him  of  such  disclosures, 
lender  the  circumstances,  however,  of  ray  almost 
only  opportunities  of  conversing  with  him,  he  woidd 
veiy  cheerfully  narrate  incidents  of  his  African  life. 
Had  I  then  contemplated  ever  paying  this  tribute 
to  Mr.  Shaw's  worth,  and  piety,  and  well-tempered 
zeal,  I  would  have  labored  hard  to  mnemonize  the 
particulars  of  those  familiar  narrations. 

While  traversing  the  wilds  and  forests  of  Kaf- 
fraria.  Mr.  Shaw  was  often  six  and  nine  months, 
and  sometimes  longer,  without  spending  a  single 
night  under  a  roof,  other  than  the  "  star-spangled  " 
arch  of  heaven,  sleeping  sometimes  upon  the 
ground,  but  more  frequently  poised  in  the  branches 
of  a  tree,  because  of  the  wild  and  ferocious  beasts 
which  there  abounded.  He  got  to  prefer  sleeping 
out  of  doors,  experiencing  a  sense  of  suffocation, 
and  a  degree  of  fever  which  deprived  him  of  rest, 
when  covered  with  a  roof.  And  this  he  felt  long 
after  his  return  to  England.  When  he  first  com- 
menced his  travels  among  the  Kaffirs,  it  was  almost 
certain  death  for  an  vmarmed  man  to  approach 
fheir  haunts,  or  even  travel  through  any  portion 


388        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

of  the  country  over  which  the  Kaffirs  are  scattered. 
But  before  he  left,  the  man,  who  with  a  steady 
and  truthful  eye  could  declare  himself  "  a  mission- 
ary," (using  the  native  word,)  could  pass  in  any 
and  every  direction,  not  only  safely,  but  would 
find  the  natives  willing  to  leave  any  employment 
for  the  sake  of  hearmg  the  gospel,  or  of  conducting 
the  missionary  to  his  next  place  of  call.  Yet  in 
all  this  there  was  peril ;  but  Mr.  Shaw's  trust  was 
in  God ;  he  relied  upon  the  promise  of  protection 
and  guidance  given  to  the  faithful ;  he  felt  that  his 
mission  was  from  Heaven,  and  no  toil  or  danger 
could  deter  him  from  fulfilling  it. 

I  remember  walking  home  with  Mr.  Shaw  one 
very  dark  night,  and  our  path  lay  through  a  gloomy 
and  unfrequented  road.  Something  transpired  to 
awaken  associations  on  his  heart,  which  led  him  to 
narrate  the  following  circumstance,  which  occuiTed 
during  the  latter  part  of  his  first  missionary  service. 
He  had  been  preaching  somewhere  near  the  bor- 
der fine,  at  an  African  \'illage,  where  it  was  usual 
for  some  member  of  the  family  of  a  Dutch  Boor, 
residing  at  some  four  or  five  miles'  distance,  to 
meet  him,  and  to  take  him  to  the  farm-house  to 
spend  the  night.  On  this  evening  none  of  this 
family  were  present ;  and,  after  preaching,  Mr. 
Shaw  mounted  his  nag  and  started  for  the  Boor's 
farm.  He  had  not  traveled  far,  and  was  ascend- 
mg  a  narrow  path  cut  in  the  mountain  side,  when 
he  heard  behind  him  the  howl  of  wolves,  a  couple 
of  which  soon  rushed  past  him,  making  "  night 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEY  AX  PREACHERS.  389 

hideous"  with  theu-  yells.  Mr.  Shaw — knowing 
that  their  habit  was  to  start  their  game  into  flight, 
and  then,  pursuing  it,  hang  upon  its  flanks,  until, 
its  strength  being  exhausted,  it  became  an  easy 
prey — reined  in  his  horse,  and  quietly  patted  it 
upon  the  neck.  Fortunately,  it  was  an  old,  staid 
animal,  accustomed  to  such  matters,  and  jogged 
on  -without  seeming  to  notice  the  disturbance. 
Soon  the  two,  ^^^th  companions,  rushed  down  the 
road,  thus  meeting  the  horse  and  his  rider.  Still 
the  manoeuvre  failed — only,  however,  to  be  re- 
peated with  increased  fierceness  and  impetuosity 
from  each  side  of  the  road ;  and  as  the  number 
of  wolves  had  now  increased  to  a  considerable 
pack,  Mr.  Shaw  began  seriously  to  apprehend 
danger  from  their  assault.  Aware  of  the  influence 
of  the  human  voice  upon  these  ferocious,  but  cow- 
ardly animals,  he  endeavored  to  intimidate  them 
by  shoutiiig,  and  also  by  cracking  his  whip.  As 
they  approached  the  farm-house,  he  increased  his 
vociferations,  (for  the  wolves  were  becoming  un- 
comfortably bold  and  persevering  in  then-  ap- 
proaches,) and  thus  aroused  the  dogs,  which,  by 
Dutch  settlers,  are  always  kept  m  great  numbers 
there ;  and  the  wolves  gradually  slunk  away, 
lea\-ing  Mr.  Shaw  and  his  horse  both  unharmed. 
Some  other  similar  narrow  escapes  he  narrated  to 
me,  the  circumstances  of  which  I  cannot  remember 
with  sufficient  accuracy  to  repeat  them. 

As  a  preacher  Mr.  Shaw  was  more  instructive 
and  profitable  than  attractive.    His  sermons  were 


390        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  VREACHERS. 

always  clear,  lucid,  common-sense  expositions  of 
the  truth ;  his  walk  and  conversation  among  the 
people  Avere  eminently  seasoned  with  personal 
piety  and  sound  judgment ;  and  his  attention  to 
his  pastoral  duties  was  unceasing  and  uniform. 
His  personal  appearance  was  pleasing.  In  stature 
he  was  about  five  feet  seven ;  the  countenance 
pleasing,  combining,  in  a  remarkable  degree,  be- 
nevolence and  firmness  ;  the  eye  dark,  bright,  and 
full,  and  the  hair  black.  An  expression  of  sweet 
serenity  played  about  the  lips.  He  was  not  guilty 
of  conformity  to  tlie  world  in  the  matter  of  apparel, 
which,  though  always  good  of  its  kind,  was  in 
fashion  upon  the  model  of  that  worn  by  the  early 
Methodist  preachers. 


APPENDIX. 


NOTICES  OF  ENGLISH  METHODISM. 

It  has  been  suggested  that  an  exposition  of  the 
economy  of  AV^esleyan  Methodism — its  modus  operandi 
— with  esi)ecial  reference  to  the  itinerancy,  would  be 
an  acceptable,  and  perhaps  useful,  conclusion  to  this 
volume.  Though,  from  the  limited  space  at  my  dis- 
posal, such  an  exposition  must  be  necessarily  brief, 
and  so  far  imperfect,  yet  I  feel  disposed  to  adopt  the 
suggestion,  and  shall  be  gratified  if  these  pages 
contribute  in  any  degree  to  the  general  restoration,  so 
far  as  practicable,  of  that  distinguishing  feature  of  Wes- 
leyan  Methodism,  and  chief  element  of  its  success — 
the  itinerant  circuit  system.  What  stress  Mr.  Wesley 
laid  upon  this,  those  who  have  read  his  journals  and 
correspondence  can  best  attest.  The  system  is  to  this 
day  rigidly  adhered  to  in  Great  Britain.  What  we  call 
stations,  are  unknown  in  the  British  Connection.  Ex- 
cept in  the  ciise  of  certain  officers  of  the  Conference, 
as  book-stewards,  editors,  missionary  secretaries,  pre- 
sidents and  tutors  of  the  theological  institutions,  govern- 
ors of  academies,  supernumeraries,  &c.,  every  preacher 
has,  singly,  or  in  company  with  others,  a  circuit  as- 
signed him,  to  every  part  of  which  some  portion  of  his 
time  and  labor  must  be  devoted,  according  to  an 
established  plan.  There  are  in  Great  Britain  about 
four  hundred  and  thirty  circuits,  and  one  thousand 
effective  preachers. 


392        SKETCHES  OF  AVESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 


To  show  somewhat  the  extent  of  these,  and  the 
plan  of  operations  in  them,  I  will  give  a  few  par- 
ticulars of  two  of  the  Manchester  circuits.  Manchester 
is  divided  into  five  circuits,  to  each  of  which  a  poition 
of  the  neighboring  country  is  attached. 

In  the  Second  Manchester  Circuit  there  are 
three  traveling,  and  perhaps  twenty  or  twenty-five  local, 
preachers,  and  about  one  thousand  six  hundred  and 
fifty  members  in  society.  The  preaching  places  ai-e 
as  follows : — Irwell-street  and  Gravel-lane  chapels,  in 
Salford ;  the  superintendent  resides  close  to  the 
former,  and  the  second  preacher  near  the  latter. 
Broughton,  with  an  elegant  Gothic  chapel,  in  the 
suburbs ;  the  congregation  select  and  wealthy.  Pendle- 
ton, also  in  the  suburbs,  but  among  a  more  mixed 
population ;  a  neat,  medium-sized,  galleried  chapel, 
about  two  miles  from  Saltbrd.  Itiams  o  th'  Heights, 
about  three  miles  distant  from  the  circuit  town  ;  a  good 
chapel,  and  chiefly  a  rural  population.  Swinton,  four 
miles;  a  large  chajjel,  the  population  partly  rural, 
partly  working  manufacturers,  and  partly  colliers. 
Walkden  Moor,  six  miles;  a  good-sized  chapel,  popu- 
lation mainly  colliers.  Boothstown,  eight  miles ;  a  large 
preaching  room,  people  poor  and  illiterate.  Worsley, 
seven  miles;  chapel  good,  congregation  chiefly  colliers, 
with  a  sprinkling  of  some  old  Methodist  families.  Each 
of  these  places  is  preached  at  by  the  traveling  preach- 
ers in  rotation  at  stated  times  on  the  Sunday,  and  once 
a  week  on  the  week  nights.  The  country  chapels  will 
seat  from  four  to  eight  huncb-ed.  There  are  some  half 
dozen  other  places,  varying  in  distance  from  two  to 
eight  miles,  sujjplied  every  Sunday  by  local  preachers. 
Nearly  all  the  appointments  have  preaching  twice  on 
the  Sunday,  some  three  times,  the  local  co-operating 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  393 


with  the  itinerant  preachers  in  supplying  them.  Ex- 
cept occasionally,  the  town  chapels  are  supplied  by  the 
itinerant  ministers.  A  horse  is  not  kept  for  the  preach- 
ers, who  walk  to  their  country  appointments  both  on 
Sundays  and  week  days,  getting  a  "  litl,"  or  ride,  occa- 
sionally, as  they  can. 

Of  the  Fifth  Maxchester  Circuit  I  have  before 
me  a  plan  or  programme,  exhibiting  the  "  order  of  the 
religious  services"  for  the  months  of  April,  May,  and 
June,  1847.  This  plan,  which  is  issued  quarterly,  is 
printed  in  pamphlet  form,  contains  the  times  and  places 
of  preaching,  class  meetings,  prayer  meetings,  and 
other  services ;  and  the  names  and  residences  of  the 
preachers,  itinerant  and  local :  the  remaining  space  is 
filled  up  with  a  number  of  passages,  of  a  practical  cha- 
racter, from  various  religious  authors.*  By  means  of 
this  I  am  enabled  to  exhibit  a  detail  of  the  manner  in 
which  the  circuit  is  worked.  The  preachers  are  the 
Revs.  Francis  A.  West,  Frederick  J.  Jobson,  and  John 
Kirk.  The  circuit  is  not  so  laborious  in  the  number 
and  distance  of  the  appointments  as  many  others ;  but, 
as  is  often  the  case  in  the  large  towns  and  cities,  the 
preachers  have  to  perform  a  great  amount  of  labor  in 
attending  committees,  &c.  The  table  which  follows 
will  give  a  view  of  the  services  for  three  Sundays. 

*Amon»  the  "  Notices  "  appended  to  the  plan'are  the  following  : — 
The  Quarterly  Fast  will  be  observed  on  Friday,  June  25,  when 
public  prayer  meetings  will  be  held  in  Oxford-road,  George-street, 
and  Radnor-street  vestries,  at  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  at 
eight  o'clock  in  the  evening. 

A  Male  Bible  Class  meets  in  Oxford-road  vestry,  every  Monday 
evening,  at  eight  o'clock  ;  and  a  Female  Bible  Class  on  Tuesday 
afternoon,  at  three  o'clock,  and  at  George-street,  on  Friday  even- 
ing, at  seven  o'clock.  The  junior  children  are  catechised  and  in- 
structed in  Oxford-road,  George-street,  and  Radnor-street  vestries, 
every  Saturday  afternoon,  at  three  o'clock.    These  classes  are 


394        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS, 


1847. 

Time. 

June  V3. 

June  20. 

Scripture  Lessons.  < 

I 

Morn.  1 
Even. 

.Toshua23. 
Mark  12. 
Phil.  2. 

1  Sam.  3. 
Luke  4. 

2  Cor.  10. 

1  Sam.  12. 
Luke  13. 
Gal.  4. 

OXFORD-ROAD. 

Week-night  preach'g. 

Day  school. 

Ml'g.  for  expos.  &  pra. 

104 
3 
0 

Tliur. 
Thur. 
Fnday. 

Kirk. 

Tetlow. 
.lob.son. 
Kirk. 

West. 

West. 
Gibhs. 
Kirk. 
West. 
West. 
West. 

Jobson. 
Makinson, 
West. 
Jobson. 

West. 

GEORGE-STREET. 
Week-niglit  preach'g. 
Exposition  and  prayer 

Wed. 
Friday. 

.lobson. 
West. 
Jobson. 
Kirk. 

Kirk. 
Jobson. 
Kirk. 
Kirk. 

West. 
Kirk. 
West. 
Kirk. 

RADNOR-STREET. 

Exposition  and  prayer 

3 
0 

Friday. 

Institution. 

Kirk. 

Jobson. 

West. 
Clark. 
Jobson. 

Jobson. 
Bailey. 
Jobson. 

CHORLTON. 
Week-night  preach'g. 

lO.l 
2" 

Tiies. 

Institution. 
White. 
White. 
West. 

Jobson. 

Doxcy. 
Jobson. 

Barker. 
Wilshaw. 
Jobson. 
Kirk. 

WITIIINGTON. 

Week-night  preacli'g. 

m 

3 

Tues. 

West. 
Barker. 
Barker. 

'uaUfax. 
Halifax. 
Kirk. 

Kirk. 

Fielding. 

Andrews. 

RUSIIOLME. 
Week-night  preacli'g. 

w'd 

Wood. 
Wood. 

Roberts. 

West. 

West. 

Holgate. 
Slugg. 

NORTHERN. 
Week-night  preach'g. 

I' 
Thur. 

Lowe. 
Institution 

Institution. 
Institution. 
Jobson. 

Banning. 
Banning. 

PENITENTURY. 

Thur. 

Jobson. 

West. 

\*  The  names  in  italics  are  those  of  local  preachers.  The 
word  "  Institution "  denotes  that  the  appointments  thus  marked 
will  be  supplied  by  students  from  the  Theological  Institution,  at 
Didsburj',  near  Manchester. 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  395 


From  the  foregoing  the  reader  will  be  enabled  to 
form  an  idea  of  the  plan  of  itinerancy  in  the  circuits 
connectetl  with  the  cities  and  large  towns.  In  the 
country  circuits,  especiiiUy  in  the  more  rural  districts, 
the  journeys  are  of  necessity  longer,  and  preachers  are 
sometimes  absent  from  home  an  entire  week  or  fort- 
night ;  and  they  invariably  preach  three  times  on  the 
sabbath,  and  neai-ly  every  night  in  the  week,  except 
Saturday  ;  riding  or  walking  from  five  to  fifteen  mUes 
each  day.  From  the  "  Plan  "  of  a  circuit  in  the  coun1;y 
of  Kent,  I  find  that  it  contains  twenty-four  appoint- 
ments, at  each  of  which  there  is  preaching  every  Lord's 
day.  There  are  two  traveling  and  tliirltj-four  local 
preachers.  Thirty-nine  sermons  are  preached  every 
Sunday ;  six  by  the  traveling  preachers,  and  thirty-three 
by  the  local  brethren. 

It  will  be  seen  at  once  from  these  statements,  that 
the  local  preachers  are  a  far  more  numerous  and  im- 
portant class  in  the  Wesleyan  Connection  than  they 
are  with  us.*  The  services  of  these  laboi-ious  and  self- 
denying  brethren  are  as  i-egularly  and  systematically- 
required  and  rendered,  as  those  of^the  travehng  minis- 
accessible  to  all  yovmg  people  and  cliildren  belonging  to  our  con- 
gregations, and  they  are  affectionately  iiivitcJ  and  urged  to  attcndf- 

The  Local  Preachers'  Lihrari/  remains,  as  formerly,  at  Grosvenor- 
street  vestry  ;  and  as  the  use  of  it  is  still  common  to  the  preachers 
in  the  Third  and  Fifth  Circuits,  the  brethren  are  urged  to  a\  ail  tliem- 
selves  of  this  great  advantage,  and  to  "  give  attendance  to  reading." 

*  It  was  stated  some  time  since  in  an  English  paper,  (the  Wes- 
leyan,) that  the  number  of  sermons  delivered  weekly  by  the  travel- 
ing preachers,  is  3951,  or  205,452  in  the  year  ;  the  number  by  the 
local  preachers  is  11,641  weekly,  or  605,302  in  the  year.  The  num- 
ber of  miles  annually  traveled  by  the  travehng  preachers,  in  theii 
regular  work,  is  319,092  ;  number  of  miles  annually  traveled  by  the 
local  preachers,  2,917,418:  total,  3,261,140  miles,  a  distance  equal 
to  one  hundred  and  thirty  times  the  circumference  of  the  globe. 


896        SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS. 

ters,  and  could  be  as  little  dispensed  with.  It  is  no 
uncommon  thing  for  one  of  these  worthies — and  no 
men  in  the  general  more  deserve  the  appellation — 
to  walk  fifteen,  twenty,  and  even  twenty-five  miles, 
and  preach  twice  or  three  times  on  the  sabbath,  after 
retiring  from  a  week's  toil  late  on  Saturday  night,  to 
resume  it  early  again  on  Monday  morning.  And  this 
may  be  said  to  the  everlasting  honor  of  the  local 
preachers  in  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  Connection,  that 
it  is  exceedingly  rare  for  an  appointment  to  be  neg- 
lected, however  stormy  the  weather  or  distant  the  place. 
Yet  there  are  men  among  them  daily  accustomed  to 
all  the  conveniences  and  comforts,  and  even  luxuries, 
of  life  ;  and  others,  whose  talents  qualify  them  to  oc- 
cupy any  pulpit  either  in  this  country  or  in  England. 
I  would  add,  that  I  have  only  known  one  instance  of  a 
traveling  preacher  omitting  to  fulfill  a  country  appoint- 
ment on  account  of  stress  of  weather,  and  he  was 
overpersuaded  by  liis  better  half,  under  the  influence 
of  such  a  storm  as  might  almost  have  justified  the 
omission.  It  turned  out,  however,  that  an  unusual 
moving  among  the  people  had  been  experienced,  and 
a  very  large  congregation  was  disappointed.  I  verily 
believe  that  "  hailstones  and  coals  of  fire  "  could  not 
have  driven  him  to  a  repetition  of  the  neglect. 

Another  feature  in  English  Methodism  is  the  quar- 
terly visitation  of  the  classes  by  the  preachers,  in  the 
months  of  March,  June,  September,  and  December, 
at  which  times  the  members  receive  their  quarterly 
tickets.  This  is  strictly  attended  to  in  every  circuit 
in  the  connection.  No  preacher  leaves  his  circuit  on 
any  account  at  these  times,  be  he  supeiintendent  or 
assistant,  unless  adequate  arrangements  can  be  made 
to  supply  his  lack  of  service  in  this  particular.  The 


SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACHERS.  39*7 


superintendent  draws  out  the  plan  for  himself  and  col- 
leagues, and  the  classes  to  be  met  by  them  during  the 
Veek  are  duly  announced  from  the  pulpit.  Members 
who  are  somewhat  slack  at  other  times,  generally  con- 
trive to  attend  at  these  visitations ;  albeit  they  are 
subjected  to  a  rigid  examination  as  to  the  causes  and 
eflects  of  theii"  inattention  duiing  the  quarter.  The 
preacher,  in  looking  over  the  class-book,  takes  due 
note  of  all  particulars  therein  recorded,  and  administers 
counsel  or  reproof  accordingly.  If  a  member  has  re- 
gularly neglected  class  during  the  quarter,  the  leader 
having  been  faithful  in  the  mean  time  in  visiting,  ex- 
horting, and  warning,  the  preacher  unhesitatingly 
withholds  the  quarterly  ticket,  the  sole  evidence  of 
membership,  until  he  has  opportunity  of  visiting  the 
member.  If,  however,  the  member,  without  good  and 
sufficient  reason,  neglects  a  regular  attendance  during 
the  second  quarter,  he  withholds  the  ticket  altogether, 
and  the  member's  name  is  erased,  subject  to  an  appeal 
to  the  leaders'  meeting.  Each  member,  on  receiving 
the  quarterly  ticket,  says  what  he  can  afibrd  to  give, 
not  "  for  his  ticket,"  as  some  speak  of  it,  but  toward 
what  is  called  the  preacher's  quarterage — the  sum  al- 
lowed to  each  preacher  for  the  incidental  expenses  of 
his  household.  The  minimiun  payment  of  each  mem- 
ber is  a  penny  a  week  and  a  sliilling  a  quarter.  This, 
however,  is  never  asked  for  from  any  one  who,  it  may 
be  supposed,  cannot  afford  it ;  while,  on  the  other  hand, 
many  members  pay  from  twopence  to  sixpence  weekly, 
and  from  half  a  crown  to  twenty  shillings  quarterly. 
The  payment  of  the  quarterly  donation  is  almost  al- 
ways made  before  the  class  is  dismissed. 

The  preachei-s  also  frequently  convene  what  are 
called  "  Society  meetings."     This  duty  generally  de- 


398        SKETCHES  OF  WESLETAN  PREACHERS. 


volves  upon  the  superintendent,  though  the  other 
preachers  are  equally  at  liberty  to  attend  to  it  as  they 
see  fit  or  find  occasion.  If  there  be  any  excitement 
abroad,  political  or  otherwise  ;  or  any  peculiar  state  of 
the  society  demandini?  special  counsel,  the  preacher, 
at  the  close  of  the  Sunday  evening  discourse,  expresses 
his  wish  that  the  members  of  society,  or,  as  we  should 
say,  "church  members,"  ^vill  stay  for  a  short  time 
afler  the  congregation  is  dismissed.  Nor  does  the 
preacher  always  wait  for  such  special  reason.  When 
the  members  are  thus  alone,  he  speaks  to  them  with 
kind  familiarity  on  such  topics  as  could  not  so  well 
be  introduced  in  a  mixed  assembly,  and  makes  the 
meeting  profitable  for  "  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  cor- 
rection, for  instruction  in  righteousness."  These  meet- 
ings, as  they  tend  to  evince  the  pastor's  Interest  in 
his  flock,  greatly  promote  fellowship  between  them. 

The  leaders'  meeting  is  held  generally  once  a  fort- 
night. The  leaders  show  their  class-books,  and  pay  in 
the  two  weeks'  contributions  of  the  members.  The 
preachers  make  a  note  of  any  who  attend  their  classes 
irregularly,  from  whatever  cause,  and  visit  them.  Cases 
of  poor  members  are  considered,  on  application  from 
the  leader,  and  such  relief  as  is  required  is  appor- 
tioned them  from  the  poor's  fund.  This  business 
being  over,  new  leaders  are  appointed,  when  needed, 
and  some  time  is  spent  in  conversation  and  prayer. 
Each  leader  endeavors,  so  far  as  in  him  lies,  to  get  his 
members  to  pay  weekly ;  which  is  at  the  foundation 
of  the  admirable  financial  arrangements  of  the  English 
Wesleyans. 

The  quarterly  meeting  somewhat  resembles  our  "  quar- 
terly conferences."  In  the  larger  circuits  it  generally 
commences  in  the  forenoon,  and  is  occupied  with 


SKETCHES  OF  -WESLETAN  PREACHERS.  399 

purely  financial  matters  until  dinner-time.  The  local 
preachers,  leadei-s,  and  stewards,  from  the  whole  circuit, 
attend,  as  far  as  practicable.  Each  place  has  its  repre- 
sentation. Thirty,  forty,  or  even  fifty  persons,  will 
be  present.  The  meeting  is  usually  held  in  the  vestry 
of  the  principal  town  chapel.  After  the  morning's 
business,  they  dine  together ;  sometimes  at  the  super- 
intendent's house  ;  sometimes  in  one  of  the  large  class- 
rooms connected  with  the  chapel.  After  dinner,  and 
half  an  hour's  breathing  time,  they  again  assemble  to 
converse  upon  and  arrange  the  more  general  matters 
pertaining  to  the  circuit.  It  should  have  been  said, 
however,  that  the  local  preachers'  meeting  is  generally 
held  before  the  regular  quarterly  meeting  commences. 
They  have  entire  jurisiliction  over  their  own  body; 
the  admission  of  candidates  on  trial,  or  upon  the  full 
plan ;  the  examination  into  character,  doctrine,  &c. ; 
and  the  alteration  of  the  hours  of  country  preaching, 
should  it  be  desired.  The  name  of  each  local  preacher 
is  called,  and  the  questions  asked, — "  Has  he  neglected 
any  appointment  during  the  quarter  ?  Are  there  any 
complaints  against  his  moral  character,  or  soundness 
of  doeb-ine  ?  Does  he  continue  acceptable  '?"  &c.,  &c. 
The  names  of  the  places  are  next  called,  and  any  sug- 
gestions or  information  called  for.  When  theii- busi- 
ness is  transacted,  the  meeting  adjourns,  and  the 
members  become  integral  parts  of  the  quarterly  meet- 
ing, where,  during  the  afternoon,  the  representatives 
from  the  different  places  give  accounts  of  the  spiritual, 
or,  more  properly,  connectional  prospects,  &c.  At 
these  meetings  too,  at  the  proper  season,  the  stationed 
preachers  are  invited  to  continue  in  the  circuit;  or, 
if  their  time  be  expired,  the  choice  of  new  ones  is 
discussed.    In  this  meeting,  also,  the  superintendent 


400       SKETCHES  OF  WESLEYAN  PREACinSRS. 

introduces  the  names  of  any  candidates  for  the  itin- 
erancy, ha\'ing  previously  appointed  such  to  preach 
in  the  town  chapel,  that  all  the  members  of  the  meetr 
ing  may  have  the  opportunity  of  hearing  and  judging 
of  the  candidate's  fitness  for  the  recommendation  to 
the  district  meeting.  The  exercises  of  the  day  are 
generally  concluded  with  a  watch-night. 


ifinis. 


lilitiiir 

1  1012  01206  9649 


